Variety (May 1957)

s

Tf FILMS

UUHO

MUSIC

STAGE

Published Weekly at 154 West 46th Street, New York 96. N. Y w by Variety, Inc.. Annual subscription, $10. Single copies. 35 cents.
Catered as second-class matter December 22, 1005, at the Post- Office at New York, N. Y., under the act o£ March 3, 1879.
COPYRIGHT, 1957. BY VARIETY. INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Vol. 206 No. 9

NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1957

PRICE 25 CENTS

TV’S $150,000,000 FOR OLD P1X

T+

4

Catholic Obstacle Course Slows
'Baby Doll’ to 4,000 Playdates

Though Warner Bros, is giving
,it the huslj-hush treatment, it's be¬
come obvious that its “Baby Doll"
has succumbed to the obstacle
.course prepared for it by the Ro¬
man Catholic Legion of Decency.

It’s now estimated that “Baby
Doll” may play no morg than 4,000
dates throughout the country,
which represents approximately
25% of its potential.

The Legion condemned the pic¬
ture and Carding Spellman de¬
nounced it from the pulpit. In
many places, Catholic priests
threatened theatres with six-months
to a year’s boycott by- Catholics
if they , booked the Elia Kazan film.

“Baby Doll" was granted the seal
of approval by the Production
Code. It has been booked by many
of the key hdbses and, at the time
of its release/ was rated as the
.most widely publicized film in the
country. It cost $1,300,000.

Attempts to get WB to provide
figures on the number of actual
bookings and of theatre cancella¬
tions were unsuccessful and reflect
the coihpany’s concern with the sit-,
uation. Actually, it’s felt that, since
the picture did get. a playoff in the
keys, it got in the majority of its
potential coin in the domestic mar¬
ket. It’s generally figured that
‘between 76% and ©)% of a film’s
revenue comes from no more than
’about 3,000 dates.

Quite a number of circuits
blocked the “Baby Doll" playoff
after pressure from local groups
led by the Catholics, In one town,
when the exhibitor refused to give
in to the boycott threat, and in¬
sisted on playing the picture, the
(Continued on page 20)

Look Mag in With Hot Bio
On ’Silent’ Sinatra; Pegs
Him at $4,000,000 in’57

* Frank Sinatra, who, according
to Look magazine execs, backed
out on a written commitment to
write his autobiography for. the
^ag, gets the biography treatment
instead, with the firsfr of a three-,
installment series tabbed “Talent,
Tantrums and Tdrment” hitting the
jewsstands yesterday • (Tues.).
series was penned by Bill David¬
son, who shifted over to Look as
one of its ace staffers following the
fold of Collier’s.;

Publication date on the initial
^matra saga (the star, says the
m ag, refused 'to cooperate on the
.senes* and wouldn’t talk with
Davidson) •, was approached ■ by
^°°k s. .editorial command with'
something qkin to trepidation and
mey frankly' Concede that they’re
expecting .“repercussions" stem¬
ming from the. article’s calling-a-
spade-a-spade. in its frank treat-
Jr ent of the star, particularly on

havior n * rUm ” aS P ec ^ of ^is be-

Article estimates Sinatra’s '57 j
(Continued on page 68) '

♦-:-

Jessel’s 1-Man Show

Eyed by Diskeries

George Jessel’s recent one-man
show at Carnegie Hall, N.Y., is like¬
ly to wind up as a disk package.
Albufh execs at a couple of disker¬
ies are showing interest in the
tapes which run for over two-and-a-
half hours. It wbuld, of course, be
edited down to LP size under the
.title “50 Years of Show Business
With Jessel."' jessel, now 59,
broke into show biz at age nine
with Gus Edwards’ troupe.

Jessel was in New York at the
end of last week after setting up
the National Telefilm Associates’,
series, “George Jessel's Music
Hall."

Love Those Treks!
Shoot 52 Abroad

Hollywood, April '30.

Hollywood’s passion for authen¬
tic locales reaches new heights this
year with a record 52 films set for
foreign production. Practice has
been growing in recent years, par¬
ticularly- since many producers
have discovered that there are also
economics, in addition to the
value of the- locale, to be derived
from shooting in foreign lands.

Of the 52 on the slate, six have
already been completed and an¬
other dozen currently- are before
the cameras. As expected, the for-
eign-localed pix are largely from
independent producers.

England remains the favorite
site for shooting abroad with 15 of
the 52 slated there. France has
five,. and Japan and Africa four
each. Among the exotic locations
being used are Indo-China, Bikini,
Ceylon, Turkey and Honduras.
(Continued on page 68)

How Do You Prevent
Third of TV Audience
Walking Out on Coml’s?

White Sulphur Springs, April 30.

Tdl'eVlSio’ii ‘commercials must be
more-- ingenious, inventive and
make .use of.the latest photographic
developments in order to be more
effective, according to Jack Bax¬
ter, V.p.’ of’ Earle Ludgin & Co.

Addressing the American Assn,
of Advertising Agencies conven¬
tion,* Baxter pointed out that,, ac¬
cording* te • Nielsen, the average
viewer spends • five hours and 42
minutes 1 at his tv set each day. Con¬
tinued Baxter: “That means he's
exposed to 420 commercials per
week with some 2,500 scenes of
pictures. All told, your weary
(Continued on page 46)

Sumner Rons of Some Legit Hits
Threatened by ‘Package Tour’ Ban

AND MUCH MORE
STILL TO CflNIE

, By MURRAY HOROWITZ

Hollywood theatricals sold in the
tv market have grossed about
$150,000,000 to'* date, an estimate
taking in mainly the pre-’48 prod¬
uct of the major studios, and cov¬
ering on the whole' a time span of
about a year and a half.

In one sense the tv station deals
for cinematics are phenomenal, .for
these are the theatricals which
had been written off on’ film com¬
pany books—$1 nominal . assets
which bounced back in another
medium to. earn millions.

Nor does the estimated $150,-
000,000 grossed to date measure
the remaining huge potential. The
libraries of Paramount and Uni¬
versal, both of which are in the
dickering stage, have yet to go on
the tv market. Columbia Pictures
via its sub.sid Screen Gems has
only tapped about 200 theatricals;
out of its library..

Also Metro TV, the department
handling the Leo the Lion label,
Associated Artists Productions,
•handling thd Warner Bros., library,
and National Telefilm Associated,
distributing some 20th-Fox prod¬
uct with,more to come, have many,
many more markets to sell.

Then, there is the question of
residual values. For example,
WCRS-TV, N^Y., is unreeling the
top pix of Metro and other studios
in the late evening, beginning - at
11:15 and early afternoon. With
(Continued on page 50)

East-West Meet
Gingerly At
Cannes Fest

Cannes, April 30.

It is now a truism of European
film festivals that the most ticklish
incidents are invariably political,
capitalistic vs. communistic loyal¬
ties and sensitivities. This year,
Cannes has not avoided tiffs.

West Germany balked at coming
when the Centre National. De La
Cinejnatographie extended an in¬
vite to the DEFA studios of East
Germany. Actually, no country not
having diplomatic relations with
France can be officially invited to
the fest and East Germany, as
Russia’s appendage, is in this cate¬
gory. Gannes circumvented French
law by putting the East German
picture‘in the fest but “out of com¬
petition.” So West Germany is
back in the fold.

Another Incident occurred when
Jacques Flaud, CNC head, extend¬
ed an invite to Red China during a
recent French Film Week there.
This offended Formosa and, indi¬
rectly, the U. S. However, this
was settled, too, and now East Ger¬
many and Red China have only
short subjects entered.in the fest.

j Marciano Sets Stance
In Show Biz for July

Retired heavyweight champ
Rocky, Marciano is expected to go
into show business in July after
his present pact with his longtime
manager, A1 Weill, expires. Mar¬
ciano had been set to join the en¬
tourage of Jimmy. Durante, who
has been using guest Stars of late
in his various bookings.

Durante was to use Marciano on
several of his nitery dates, includ¬
ing the-Chez Paree, Chicago, and
the Desert Inn, Las Vegas. How¬
ever, deals were called off . when
the ex-pug learned that he would
have to cut his salary with Weill,
with whom he has been - feuding
for soifie time.

Woo Pinza For
TV ?inocchiq’

Negotiations are in progress^Jor
Ezio Pinza to come out of retire¬
ment in October to play the pup¬
pet-master in. NBC-TV’s musical
spectacular of “Pinocchio." Rex-
all Drugs, in its first major tele¬
vision deal, will sponsor the hour-
long spec, in which Mickey Rooney
will play the title role. It’s slated,
for Ofct, 13, a Sunday, at 6:30 to
7:30. Pinza’s participation, of
course, depends on the state of his
health at the time, but he’s ex¬
pressed a willingness to do the
role if he can. * v

Talent Associates, the Dave Suss-
kind-Al Levy packaging house, has
been assigned the production
chores on the show, which will be
a musical. Composer, lyricist and
librettist haven’t yet been set, and
Roofley is the only firm cast mem¬
ber. Show, incidentally, is TA’s
first spec assignment for NBC, ah-
though it is already set to do six
duPont specials on CBJ3-TV in the
fall. TA, however, was set fofr the
spec by BBD&O, the Rexall agency.

Vogel Sanguine on Video;
Sees Trend to Celluloid
Favoring Film Industry

Joe Vogel, president of Loew’s
Inc., sees the booming .film pro¬
gramming on television as a boon
to the picture business, despite its
increasing competitive, unspoollpg
of so much celluloid. Vogel’s sights
are “as much ,as -95%“*of tv pro¬
gramming will be on film, but who
is best qualified to continue this
production line than Hollywood?”

Vogel goes along with the elec¬
tronic and technologic prognosti¬
cators that It’s only a question of
i (Continued on page 68)

N. Y. License Commissioner Ber¬
nard J. O’Connell has kicked up a
hornet’s nest with his crackdown
on package show tours. The matter
is due for a quick court test, while
various theatrical and business or¬
ganizations, unions and tour-spon¬
soring newspapers are agitating
against the Commissioner.

At least two lawsuits seeking
both injunctive relief and mone¬
tary damages are to be filed in the
next few days, and numerous oth¬
ers are likely. Meanwhile, ••• the
ban on block’ ticket sales is ap¬
parently bringing substantial losses
to legit, as well as to transporta¬
tion companies, hotels, stores, res¬
taurants, • etc.

The - tabu on package tour busi¬
ness may, if it remains in effect,
seriously curtail the runs of a num¬
ber of Broadway shows. For ex¬
ample, “Most Happy Fella,” with
the added impetus of its recent se¬
lection by the N. Y. Drama Critics
Circle as the “best musical” of
the season, is nOw a likely prospect
to run through the summer.

According to co-producer Kermit
Bloomgarden, he has received a
$25,000 advance payment on sum¬
mer attendance through package
tour agencies,.with the promise of
at least as much more to come.
That and other such patronage
would carry the musical over the
normally lean summer months. He
points to the approximately $40,-
000 such business that helped
“Damm Yankees” get through last
summer. If that revenue is lost, he
contends, “Fella,” will probably
(Continued on page 20)

Dempsey Favors Chuvalo
As Himself When Young;
’Write Out’>Jack Kearns

Toronto, April 30.

With his biopic to start rolling in
Hollywood this July, Jack Demp¬
sey, guest of honor at last week’s
annual banquet and ball of the
Toronto Press Club, disclosed pri¬
vately that George Chuvalo, 19, of
Toronto, has been recommended
by Dempsey to play the early ring
years in-the Dempsey life story.

Said Dempsey: “Hundreds of can¬
didates have been interviewed but
I think Chuvalo will do a good job
in portraying my early years in the'
ring. I doubt that he has the act¬
ing ability td carry right through
the film but there will be nothing
wrong with his ring work in front
of the cameras.

Toronto fighter, who weighs 20fif
pounds, has knocked out four op¬
ponents to win the Canadian title. .

On filming of life story, Demp¬
sey claimed that his former man*

| ager, Jack Kearns, was reportedly
too high in demands for use of
the Kearns name; that script¬
writers are now rewriting the
Dempsey story, with no mention of
Kearns.

2 MISCEIAAXV

For Tal Jeey and Taxpayers Squawk

San Francisco, April 30.

Columbia’s “Pal Joey” company,
or most of it, departed San Fran¬
cisco a week early in a cloud of ill
feeling.

Company ha# been scheduled for
location lensirig up till April 28,
but producer; George Sidney de¬
cided to return to Hollywood after
Easter Sunday (21) because of un¬
certain weather outlopk.

Sidney fretted that picture had
fallen three days behind 60-day
shooting schedule in week that
company was here, pointed.out de¬
lays Were costing $15,000 a day.

In addition, something of a rhu¬
barb developed over lensing on top
.of Telegrafph Hill Easter Sunday.

About 1,000 cars and hundreds
of citizens—described by news¬
papers as “irate”—were turned
away from panoramic view area on
hilltop because Sidney’s crew was
working there. Rope barrier,
manned by cop, held back all but
hill's residents, film crew and
emergency vehicles.

“Who’s paying the taxes on that
property, up there,” crabbed one
motorist to the cop, “us or the
movie company?” .

Unit, however, had permission of
both the police and the city’s Board
of Supervisors to block off Tele¬
graph Hill. Easter Sunday had
originally been planned as a holi : ,
day for the film crew, but because;
of shooting’s delay Sidney had de¬
creed it a work day.

John J. Ferdon; president of the
supervisors, commented that “I
never would -.have given them a
permit if I’d known they were
going to shoot on Easter Sunday.”

Irving Temaner, Columbia's lo¬
cation rep, conciliated:

. “This is a musical we’re shoot¬
ing. It’s a happy, cheerful picture.
For that, you need sunshine.”

Temaner added:

“Spectators create quite a prob¬
lem for us. We just can't shoot
when there are crowds around.
They can sue us if their faces acci¬
dentally get into th§ picture, and
for another thing they distract the
actors and directors.’.’

One report'—unsubstantiated —
was that Frank Sinatra got so dis¬
tracted the day before Easter that
he walked off location. Sidney,
however, blamed the weather en¬
tirely, said “it’s a Technicolor film
and the weather outlook is bad for
the next two days.”

A skeleton crew of about 40 . was
left in Frisco to shoot backgrounds.
Sidney claimed full crew would re¬
turn in six weeks, but no one took
this too seriously.

Ironically, the day after- Easter
turned Out to be warm, sunny and
comparatively windless.

Baron Charles de Pampelonne,
Consul General of France in Bos¬
ton, presented Dr.. Charles Munch,
on behalf of the Academie du
Disque Francais, the 1956-57 Grand
Prix du Disque for the RCA Victor
recording of Ravel’s complete
“Daphnis and Chloe.”

USIA Can’t Sell ltself
To the Natives (In U.S.A.)

^ Washington, April 30.

Congress is giving the U. S. In*
formation Agency a bum shuffle
by preventing it from telling its
story to Americans, according to
“Public Relations News,” a news
letter.

“It seems almost futile,” com¬
ments the publication,' “for USIA
to hope ’for ihuch of an increase ih
funds until it is freed of the short-
sighed restriction which forbids
it to explain its function to its own
countrymen. -The USIA, the best
source of information about itself,
should be permitted—even encour¬
aged—to be its own spokesman.”

Lymon’s Teenagers Stir Up
Fuss on Late-Night Parties
In Hotel, Which Bans ’Em

Glasgow, April 30.

The Teenagers,’ U.S. juve quintet,
rode into town fpfc a two' weeks*
vaude stint with some unwelcome
national press publicity in their
young laps.

On day of their arrival here (21),
a national sheet'with top circula¬
tion, the Sunday Pictorial, ran a
story headed “The 5 Star Kids’
Hdtel Parties,” It reported that
Frankie Lyrtion, leading member of
the. act, had been told not to return
to a London hotel, and that in Man¬
chester, Eng., a hotel manager had
“reprimanded” the' kids after re¬
ports of after-the-shbw parties.

Said the Pictorial: “There were
reports of shoutirig and singing in
bedrooms after midnight as other
guests were trying to sleep.”

.Sheet further quoted Wally Stew¬
art, act’s English tour manager, as
saying: “It is all just high spirits.
The boys are used to America,
where life goes on longer at night.
In England they have to make
their own fun in the hotel after the
show. It’s quite harmless.”

According to Sunday Pictorial,
the ban iff London was made after
a- party in Lymon’s room i at the
Park West Hotel. Allegations
brought a prompt reply from Rudi
Traylor, American manager of the
Teenagers.

“Accusations have been brought
to our notice about causing a dis¬
turbance,” he said. “The accusa¬
tions have been put into the hands
of our lawyers in London. They
will decide what action to take.”

Act was accommodated without a
hitch in the luxury Central Hotel
here, normal residence of U.S. acts
ih Scotland.

Said the manager, John Nelson:
“I have heard nothing of complaints
from any other hotel. But we shall
not tolerate bad behavior from
teenagers or anyone else.”

The allegations brought this corn-
continued on page 68)

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Wednesday^ May 1957.

Rhonda Fleming’s 2-Yr.
Fact at Tropicana; L. V.

Hollywood, April 30.

Monte Proser has signed Rhonda
Fleming to a two-year deal calling
for a four-week appearance each
year at the Tropicana Hotel, Las
Vegas. - Initial stint starts May 20th
when the film player makes her
nitery bow with a new act.

Eddie Fisher, who opened the
newest of the Las Vegas-hostelries,
holds over until Miss Fleming
opens.

Buenos Aires, April 30.

After film circles had about given
up hope of any action, last week
President Aramburu put his sig¬
nature to three decrees enacting
the new Argentine Film law,
cheating the National Screen Insti-.
tute, setting April 20 for the date
to start collecting the 10% box-
office tax and appointing the board
to run the institute and distribute
the tax.

The Screen Institute is set up as
an autonomous State body charged
with integral study of all Argen¬
tine film problems. Its task is to
promote the film industry, rjaise its
artistic level and insure educational
objectives, in iaddition to using
.films to publicize national culture
locally and abroad. The Institute
is" to oversee enactment of the
Film law from every angle.

It is to be run by a board com¬
prising a president and four direc¬
tors, appointed by the Executive
Power for terms of three years, and
Eligible for re-appointment. These
directors must be Argentines and
expert in film matters, though not
holding any remunerated post 11 in
either production or exhibition.
The board prexy is to represent
the Institute legally and run it in¬
ternally. Those appointed are the
former Entertainment Board chief,
Lorenzo Antonio Aita, as presi¬
dent, with Arturo Segundo Mom,
Cesar Jose Guerrico, Clegario
Felix Ferrapdo and Nicolas Coro¬
nado as directors.

Arturo Mom is a vet journalist,
(Continued on page 68)

CASALS FESTIVAL
WITHOUT DON PABLO

By TRUDY GOTH

San Juan, April 30.

Puerto Rico’s big spring music
festival which was to have starred
the great native son (via his mater)
’cellist Lon Pablo Casals ran 94%
capacity despite the virtuoso’s
heart attack which removed him
from participation. John Zorek of
Mayfair Travel Agency who han¬
dled all the’U. S. tourists reduced
cancellations to a-jninimuro by
arguing that musicl'overs could
not, if noblesse oblige ruled, let
the sick master’s morale down.

Actually this may well have
been as fine a group of instru¬
mentalists as- has ever assembled.
Soloists included such greats as
Rudolf Serkin, Isaac Stern, Eu¬
gene Istomin, Joseph Szigetti.
Their declared' sentiment was to
make the event memorable in
tribute.

The opening concert offered
Bach’s “Suite No. 1 in C Major”
•and the, orchestra, though con 2
ductor-less, played with extraordi¬
nary unity, of execution under the
guidance v of its concertmaster,
Alexander Schneider who gave
(Continued on page 6,8)

Got the World on a G-String

[GYPSY *ROSE LEE’S MEMOIR]

=By ABEL GREEN==

Before striptease hit the Paris
boulevards, the French described
Gypsy Rose Lee as a deshabilleuse.
Mencken dug up eedysiast to des¬
cribe her special show biz talents
— accent on the show — and the
No.-1 exponent pf the epidermis
display relates that she also has
been fancily described as decidu¬
ous. So much for spotlighting the
identity of the author of this un¬
usual memoir which is aptly titled
Gypsy” (Harper; $3.95).

Because it is so rich a canvas
of the hard but never dull career
of a smalltime trouper, this -book
is a revealing (no pun intended)
closeup of still another nomadic
vaudevillian’s early life and times.
As‘such it falls in the same idiom
as Fred Allen’s valentine to the
little people who comprised that
large segment of American-family
entertainment called vaudeville.

As did Allen; Miss Lee segued

’Anastasia’ Noses Out
‘King’ for Brit. Laurels

London, April 30.

“The King and I” has - been
nosed out of position as 20th-Fox’s
alltime top grosser in Britain by
“Anastasia.” Latter picture, which
went on general releasA prior to
and during the Easter vacation, is
now playing extended-runs.

Throughout the London "area,
weekly grosses of “Anastasia”
were up on the R & H filmusical
by as much as nearly $500. It’s now
on £ record-breaking trail through¬
out the provinces and is currently
in its fifth pre-release week in
Dublin.

Eddie Cantor on Why He
Exploited His and Ida’s
Social Security Checks

Because not all the press re¬
ports were quite clear, with the ac¬
cent on “millionaire actor-come¬
dian” Eddie Cantor and his wife
Ida, shown collecting their first
Social Security checks, Variety
invited , a clarification. Cantoris
wire from Beverly Hills speaks for
itself:

“I cooperated with the Social
Security people to publicize the
presentation of Ida’s and my first
Social Security check because I
felt it was' my patriotic duty to
help my fellow Americans under¬
stand how they can benefit the
most. from their Social Security
insurance. Many have the mis¬
taken impression that Social Se¬
curity is charity. Actually, many
like myself have paid Social Se¬
curity taxes for over 20 years. It is
an earned insurance right, and like
my other insurance polities, pays
off at certain times. Many don’t
know, however, that unlike the
profit on an insurance policy or
(Continued on page 68)

from her original life’s mission
into a -happenstance exhibitionism
that was ! to' catapult her-into a
unique niche ih show biz. The
electronic magic of radio did it
for Allen; T the eclectic display did
it for the Author. It has reached
the proportions that she is now an
international name who requires
little explanation, identification or
translation. G^p is as'synonymous
v/ith burlesque arid striptease as
Gina, Jayne, Sophia and Marilyn
with cheesecake. .

But that is not the story of
“Gypsy.” The dedication of her
memoir is to her 11-year-old son,
Erik (“so he’ll stop asking so many
questions”), but her saga lets the
world in on the pioneer wanderings
of Rose Louise (Gypsy Rose Lee)
and June Hovick (now Havoc) and
their hyper-resourceful mother.
That Miss Lee_ has no illusions
about her mere may best be soot-
lighted via this excerpt: “Mother
had been many things* blit she had
never been ‘nice.’. Not exactly.
Charming, perhaps, and courage¬
ous, resourceful and ambitious,
but not nice. Mother, in a feminine
way, was ruthless.. She was, in her
own words, a jungle mother, and
she knew too well that in a jungle
it doesn’t pay' to be-,nice. ‘God will
protect us,’ she often said to June
and me. ‘But to make sure,’ she
would add, ‘carry a heavy club’.”

‘Life With Mother*

In effect, “Gypsv” might be sub¬
titled “Life With Mpther.” As
parent, impresario, manager, book¬
er, agent, mother-hen to an allgirl
act and later a mixed juvenile act,
most of whom got paid off in ex¬
perience and some dubious lodging
and boarding accommodations,
Mother worked her feminine wiles
to the hilt. It started first with the
Elks, Masons and Eastern Stars,
among others, when- she wangled
bookings at lodge benefits and
blowouts. She worked similar
wiles on sympathetic garage-men
when their flivver, in which they
made their jumps, would break
down or a blowout required dubious
credit for new tires. It worked on
the Pantages circuit and through¬
out the length and breadth of these
United States, since they left their
native Seattle, until that fateful
emergency booking in Kansas City
when a burlesque impresario found
himself Jn need 1 of an act and the
only one available was the very
smalltimey Rose Louise & Co.

With amazing recall, the author
traces their, nomadic existence with
compelling detail in what might be
called three “books,” identified
here as Act I, II and III.

Readymade Pix Script

The book reads like a readymade
movie script. 'There are many vig¬
nettes that will “play” almost auto¬
matically. thf* peripatetic class¬
rooms; the mammoth Murphy, a
powerful Katrinka of a femme
aide; the budding romances; Junes
early elopment and marriage; the
second-hand Studebaker’s habitual
breakdowns and Mother's double-
(Gontinued on page 20)

.Napoleonic Phobia

Paris, April 30.

History repeats itself next
week when Albert Dieudonue’s
one-act play, “Moi et -Napole¬
on,” will be presented here.
Piece is about an actor who
has -played. Napoleon all his
life and winds up believing he
really is the Emperor.

By coincidence Dieudonne
portrayed the Little Corporal
in Abel Gance's 1924 silent
fresco, “Napoleon Bonaparte,”
and the role is said to have in¬
fluenced his entire career.

When the actor-playwright
temporarily disappeared fol¬
lowing his stint in the silent
“Bonaparte,” a wag of yester¬
year remarked that he had
been sent to Elba. It may be
said that he is back now.

Trade Mark Registered

FOUNDED 1905 by SIME SILVERMAN; Published Weekly by VARIETY, INC.
Syd Silverman, President

154 West 46tb St.. New York 30, N. Y. JUdson 2-2700
‘Hollywood 28 '

6404 Sunset Boulevard. Hollywood 9-1141
Washington 4

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SUBSCRIPTION Annual, $10; Foreign, $11; Single Copies, 25 Cehts
ABEL GREEN, Editor

Volume 206

Number 9

INDEX

Bills ....

.... 68

New Acts ..

...65

Chatter .

.... 74

Night Club Reviews ..

.... 66

Obituaries..

...75

.... 6

Pictures .............

... 3

,,,, 65

... 26 •

Tnside Musie .. r ,,,.

.... 57

Record Reviews .

...52

Inside Pictures ......

.... 17

Television .

...26

Inside Radio TV- -,, -

.... 44

Television Reviews ..»,

... 41

International .

.... 11

TV Films ..

...28

Legitimate . . T . ^.. .,.

.... 69

Unit Review ...

...64

Literati ,.

.... 73

Vaudeville ..

... 62

Music ..

.... 52

Wall Street ..

... io

DAILY VARIETY

(Published In Hollywood by Daily Variety, Ltd.)
$15 a year. $20 Foreign.

\pedite»d*y» H^y ^ 1957

TV-Fostered Daylight Savings Is
Seen Costhg Drive-Ins 25% of Biz

REMARKABLY ALIKE stock Option for 20th-Fox Execs
I Fll MS Nil flHT Angled for Less Than Full Joy

Minneapolis, April 30. +

TJo S ed on the experience last sea¬
son of ozoners in adjoining-Iowa,
Minnesota outdoor theatres are an¬
ticipating at the very minimum a
25% patronage loss from recent
vears' averages as a result of en¬
actment for the first time of day¬
light saving. • f ■ . .

Theatremen thought they had
the daylight saving measure beaten
in the state legislature, but due to
terrific pressure from television
and radio stations, newspapers and
various business and ■ comercial
groups it was revived and passed
both houses easily djespite the ex¬
hibitor and agricultural opposition.

Many of the drive-ins, particular¬
ly in the less populous centers, will
change their weekday schedules to
a single nightly showing of the fea¬
ture picture. Because of the in¬
creased daylight it’s figured that
the shows probably cannot get un¬
der way until around 9:30 p.m., in¬
stead of the former 8 o'clock or
earlier.

With the public having more
time for outdoor pursuits in con¬
sequence of the daylight saving,
the four-wall houses also expect to
be hurt this summer, although not
to the ozoners’ extent.

Vadim & Madame (Bardot)
Power Glide to Fortune;
Currently in Spain

"Madrid, April 30.
French director Roger Vadim
has left Madrid on a survey of
southern Spain to set locations for
his upcoming Brigitte Bardot
starrer, “L^s Bijoutiprs du clair
de lune” (Jewelers By Moonlight).
He was accompanied by Joe Ochoa,
veteran Spanish first assistant di¬
rector.

Vadim is seeking bullfighter
Luis Miguel Dominguin and Italian
actress Lucia Bose (Mrs. Domin¬
guin) to fill star cast for “Bijou-
tier." If Dominguin signs, it will
mark his screen debut as an ac¬
tor, although he was technical ad¬
viser to Mike Todd for the bull¬
fight. scenes in' “80 Days” and did
straight to Cantinflas in the se¬
quence.

The 29-year old French director
has two in the can for Columbia
Pictures and Gallic producers
Raoul LeVy and Ray Ventura. The
two scope tinters '.are “God Cre¬
ated Woman” with B.B. (Mrs. Va¬
dim . until divorce papers, are
signed) and “You Never .Know,”
lensed this past winter in Venice.

With “Bijoutier,” Vadim will
wind a three-picture deal under
the Columbia banner, but he al¬
ready has Harry Cohn's signature
on another (without producer in¬
termediary) to direct three U. S.
stars and an Italian name actress
in Rome and Naples early next
year.

. B °th Miss Bardot and Vadim are
in a power glide to fame and for/
tune at the moment. She is mid¬
way through her four pictures for
Columbia with Hollywood showing
great interest. Recently she made,
world headlines as “Miss Strip¬
tease” -when the Vatican con¬
demned ad campaign posters of
her flesh poses. Vadim, another of
the Paris-Match galants to hit
higtime, is one of Europe's most
interviewed and photographed di¬
rectors right now as the result of
his simultaneous divorce from arid
reunion with Bardot when the
cameras turn on “Bijoutiers” in
mid-June.

Milton Gunzburg Wins

TT Hollywood, April 30.

u. S. Court of Appeals (Ninth
circuit) upheld Federal Court ver-,
diet favoring Milton • Gunzburg of
Natural Vision in suit filed against
by George Schaefer. •

Latter sued for half-interest in
nSj^hy °r alternate claim of $3,-
uuoooo for-services, but in 1956
ecteral Judge Ben Harrison ruled
ver? S f Schaefer ^ ad appealed

TV Rule Bent .But Stands

Hollywood, April 30.

Columbia Pictures last week .
bent its policy of not allowing
pactees to accept liVe dramatic
video roles a bit, to allow
, Kerwin Mathews to accept
lead in May 6 NBC-TV “Mat¬
inee Theatre” program, "Show
of Strength.”

However, studio spokesman
declared Col hasn't changed
overall policy; is merely allow¬
ing this one exception because
. “it's a' good role.”

For Biopix, Better
They Should Be
Dead—S-R Duo

The problems of convertinng the
life of a real person to the screen
are many—clearances with rela¬
tives and friends, for example,
take as much as a year—but the
advantages, in many cases, far out¬
weigh the difficulties.

Such is < the opinion of Mel
Shavelson and Jack Rose, the pro-
du ir-writer-dlrector team who
have made a profitable specialty
out of biofilms. In a telephone talk
from the Coast, pair discussed the
technique of making biographical
films, their theories, and the prob¬
lems involved in placing the life
of a real individual on the screen.
Their most recent film is “Beau
James,” based on Gene Fowler's
book about the late Jimmy Walker.

Team shuns personalities whose
lives. are too well known to the
general public. The individuals,
of course, have been In the public
eye at one time or another, but
intiinate details of their private
lives and conflicts are not an open
book.

As a general policy Shavelson and
Rose prefer dead people. It’s their
contention that biopix of living
people too often turns into a sac¬
charine eulogy. “They lose credi¬
bility and fail to present a rounded
character. And how can you come
up with a good third act?”

Rose thought an exception to the
rule was Paramount’s upcoming
“The Joker Is Wild,” the story ofi
Joe E. Lewis. “Lewis doesri’t care,
what anybody says about him,” he
noted.

$100,000 on Barrelhead
Lands ‘Gervaise’ Rights
For Continental Corp.

“Gervaise,” the French prizewin¬
ner, has been acquired by Conti¬
nental Distributing Corp. for U. S.
release. The Walter Reads. Jr.-
Frank Kassler outfit plunked down
a $1 dO,000 guarantee for the film.

Picture rated Venice kudos last
year and was named the best film
from any source by the British
Academy last year. It’s not due for
■release until after’the summer.

'BROTHERS-IN-LAW' DUE

Promising British Feature Set
With Reade-Kassler

“Brothers In Law,” the John and
Roy Boulting production, will be
released in the Uriited States by
Continental Distributing, the Wal¬
ter Reade-Frank Kassler company,
in the late summer. It will be
kicked off with a New York open¬
ing.

i ' Picture, like “Private's Progress,”
pfevious • entry of the British twin
producers and directors, is racking
up strong returns in Great Britain.
It is currently in its third outing in
the West End.

Alfred Katz,' who.represents the
Boultings in U. S., flew to London
last week to look over their fittest
film, “Lucky Jim.”

By HY HOLLINGER

If a theatre patron viewing a
number of upcoming films thinks
he's seeing double, he’ll probably
be right. For. there are a surpris¬
ing number. of forthcoming tilms
which bear a striking thematic re¬
semblance to pictures which have
already played in many theatres.

There’s Universal's “Joe Butter¬
fly,” for example. It's about a
bunch of GIs in Japan who are
confronted by an ingratiating na¬
tive Mr. Fixit who can accomplish
wonders in shearing through Army
red tape in a zone of American oc¬
cupation. Change the locale to
Okinawa and substitute Sakini for
Joe Butterfly and you have a re¬
minder of Metro’s recent “Tea¬
house of the August Moon.”

. And there’s 20th-Fox’s upcom¬
ing “The Sea Wife,” which finds a
nun shipwrecked in a small boaf
with three guys. Omit two of the
men and you. have Deborah Kerr,
as a nun, and Robert Mitchum, as
a marine, on a South Pacific island
in v20th’s own “Heaven Knows, Mr.
Allison.”

Metro’s current “Lizzie,” based

Protest-Proof Villain

Hollywood, April 30.

Nicholas Nayfack Produc¬
tions won’t have to worry
about arousing the wrath of
..any small but vocal pressure
group in its selection of a
heavy for its initial film, “The
Invisible Boy,” which rolls
next month for Metro release.

Heavy in the piece, which en¬
dangers the life of 11-year-old
Richard Eyer, will be an elec¬
tronic computer which will
“think like a human—an evil

Negro Actors
On Upgrade; It
Helps U.S. O’Seas

A stock option plan with strings
attached will be submitted to stock¬
holders Of 20th-Fox at the annual
meeting in New York May 21.

Under the plan, the 20th board
of directors would be permitted to
grant stock options for an aggre¬
gate of 200,000 shares to executives
of the corporation. Fewer than 20
persons would be involved and the
maximum any one man could pur¬
chase would be 75,000 shares.

However, two conditions attach
to the plan:

(1.) Each executive picking up
his option would be^required to pur¬
chase five-year 5% debentures
equal to $25 for each share of stock
optioned by him. That would give
the corporation $5,000,000 of capi¬
tal, subordinated to up to $25,000,-
000 of bank loans to the corpora¬
tion.

(2.) Each executive to whom op¬
tions are granted must agree to an
employment contract requiring his
active service for no less than five
years.

(3.) His annual compensation
will be reduced by a sum equal to
75c per common share purchased.
If options are granted on 200,000

Metro s current "lizzie,' Dasea The Neg ro’s position in. Holly- “ "erthat rLlns a salarv reduc-
on Shirley Jackson’s novel, ‘The wood has impr0 ved a great deal, tion of $150™00 The cut would
Bird’s Nest,” is about a femme with though it ls stiU far from perfect, b e f 0 r at least two veaJs and in

three personalities. On 20th’s Sidnev Poitier r,® tor at i easl lw 2 years, ana in

schedule is “Three Faces of Eve” de ^ ares a 2. or x ?-- the case of P r exy Spyros P. Skou-

scneauie is xnree races oi iive, jj e sees the Negro in films push- r until Dpc 31 1960 Skouras

based on the book by Dr. Corbett infy cteadilv “At least r s UI T lAyou * &KOUras

TT PhiVnen and Dr Hervev M mg an f a “ Sieaauy. ** now gets $250,000 a year.

H. Phigpen ana JJr. ttervey m. man y 0 f the parts handed us are Main beneficiaries of the nlan will
Cleckley, which Is about—you he ashamed of and the L Wia^n Denenciaries oi me pian wiu

cniecsed it a woman who has not L?. in 2 , ? e asnamea ot ana tne be Skouras production chief Bud-

euessea it — a woman wno nas qua iity 0 f the work is improving,” -

three, personalities. „ he commented in Gotham. “Holly- . .

Universal’s ' The Great Man,, wood , desp ite all the pressures, is . „ _ .

based on Al Morgans novel, is t j cast beginning to realize that RAmnn[p yOPUC RgVIVCS

about a beloved and influential th Negro s ls pa ° t and parcel of DWdlUUIC lUgUC ACTlTCo

radio personality who really is a Amer . can life . and o£ American ‘farmMI InllPc’ PifhirP

n private life. A Face in h jstory. you might call that prog- vftUUCu JOUcS 1 lClUlC

the Crowd,” soon to be released ,,r in. i\ J

by Warner Bros., has the same p m *H Pr . who has three un- WlUCIl uuUTS 1/210(111(11

(Continued on page 19)

‘Carmen Jones’ Picture
Which Stars Dandridge

Dy Warner uros., nas me same Poitieri who has three un . nillUII OUUb VdUUIlUgC

■4hTArkaL b a?Tra7eltr S " to Budd released pictures on tap, hasn’t Minneapolis, Aprils.

inliS ’ Y done badly in the past nine As the result of Harry Belafonte’s

Nnt ton Inner arm sincer Lillian months ’ and . he sees this as part p rese nt disk vogue, the picture

£fsa°ys he ^T" ?"f’ te « et ' ta *

vate Kftx in a hnnk titlpd “I’ll Crv the Negr0 performer *ie says ne llfe hereabouts.

Tomorrow ” It was made into a is aware of the fa ^ that s0 1 !J le ? f Picture, which actually stars
very successful fflm by Metro WB "Sea^louth™ Doro ‘ h >' t Dandridge and which

hopes that lightning strikes twice “vi hi lfintMns lor everv “ a ,

nnw fhat it ha«? acauired the film Yet » he maintains > f ° r every click its first time around, Is be-

rights to Diana BaXmore’s frank Southerner who refuses to see a tog brought back by a number of

annWipn: “Too Much. Too Soon.” (Continued on page 20) Twin Cities; neighborhood houses.

• _!-—;-It s now doing much better box-

officewise than it did initially,

National Boxoffice Survey position and"credited with the Im-

_;_ proved take,

« , i Newspaper ads, for example, call

Earlv Heat Hits Biz: ‘80 Days’ First, ‘10 CY 2d, Belafonte “the voice that is the

J > oj <c • Ail* ‘XAT™A*>ve 9 Stli sensation of the nation.” They-also

‘Face 3d, Spirit 4th, Wonders otn urge: “See him on our screen. The

—- 1 -— ' newest personality of the musical

t» ~a. ciwimor fomripra. i weftks. rounds out the Big 10 list world!”

National Boxoffice Survey

Early Heat Hit. Biz; ‘80 Days’ First, ‘10 CV 2d,
‘Face’ 3d, ‘Spirit’ 4th, ‘Wonders’ 5th

Burst of early summer tempera¬
tures over pr#t weekend coupled
with usual post-Easter week
tapering off is cutting into film
totals this session, particularly
compared with soaring grosses of
the previous stanza. Of course,
some first-runs have weekly totals
which take in a goodly portion of
the Easter holiday week—and
these are considerably stronger
than sessions covering most of
week started last Sunday (28).

s New champion is “Around World
in 80 Days” (UA), which shows
some $300,000* in the 13 key cities
covered by Variety this week.
Not only is this the peak number
of play dates so far but the show¬
ings are uniformly big to sock or
capacity. “10 Commandments”
(Par), third a week ago, is push¬
ing up to second.

“Funny Face” (PaT), No. 1 last
round, is finishing third. “Spirit
of St. Louis” (WB>, fifth last week,
is pushing up to fourth, only a
step behind “Face.” “Seven Won¬
ders of World” (Cinerama) is
winding up fifth.

“Boy on Dolphin” (20th), fourth
a week ago, captured sixth money,
in some instances not holding up
so well in second rounds. “Bache¬
lor Party” (UA), with some addi¬
tional dates, is landing in seventh
spot for thp first time listed.

“Cinderella” (BV) (reissue) is
holding well to take eight position.
“Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison”
(20th), long high or topping the
list, is taking ninth place. “De¬
signing Woman” (M-G), much
higher in ratings ’ in previous

weeks, rounds out the Big 10 list
this stanza.

“12 Angry Men” (UA), ninth
last week, and “Great Man” (U)
are the runner-up pix currently.

Of the new entrants, “Strange
One” (Col) currently is on the
disappointing side. It is weak in
Washington, modest in Chi and
just okay in N. Y. “Brave One”
(RKO-U), nice in Toronto, shapes
mild in Philly and Balto. “Girl in
Kremlin” (U) is rated dull in
Frisco;

“Tarzan and Lost Safari” (M-G)
looms okay iri Miniieapolis, N. Y.,
and Frisco. “River’s rdge” (20th)
looks thin in* Mirineapolis.

“Edge of City” (M-G) still is
fancy in Chi. “Shrinking Man”
(U) continues smash in same city.

“Battle Hymn” (U) still is nice
in Balto. “La Strada” (T-L), oke
in Philly, looks big in N. Y. “Fear
Strikes Out” (Par) is fair in Chi.

“Oklahoma” (Magna) shapes big
in Toronto. “Tattered Dress” (U)
looms fancy in Louisville.

“Hellcats of Navy” (Col) is rated
good in Boston. “Gun for Cow¬
ard” (U) looks okay in Chi.

(Complete Boxoffice Reports
on Pages 8^9)

Wall Shenson, Producer

Hollywood, April 30.

Walter Shenson resigned as liai¬
son between Columbia and Various
pix companies in Europe making
films for Col release.

Shenson is entering indie pro¬
duction. Has bought novel “The
Mouse That Roared” as first
vehicle.

RACE FOR MARKET
WITH CALYPSO FILMS

Allied Artists and Columbia are
in a race to be the first film com¬
pany to hit the market with a pic¬
ture geared for the current calypso
craze. Both claim their pictures
will be the first to reach the the¬
atres.

AA revealed that it is placing
“Calypso Joe” into immediate re¬
lease, coupling the entry with “Hot
Rod Tumble,” a teenage rock ’n’
roll action film. Package, it’s said,
has already been booked in key
cities, with a May 8th booking in
12 hardtops and drive-ins already
set for Los Angeles.

Sam Katzman, producer of Co¬
lumbia’s “Calypso Heat Wave,”
maintains, however, that his pic¬
ture will be the first one on the
subject released to theatres.

Chesapeake $350,000-Plus

Cleveland, April 30.

Chesapeake Industries, which
owns Pathe Laboratories, chalked
up first quarter earnings “some¬
what in excess of $350,000,” Wil¬
liam C. MacMillan Jr., company
president, told stockholders at thri
company’s annual meeting here last
week.

In addition to Pathe, Chesapeake,
has seven other subsidiaries in
businesses ranging from banking to
greeting cards. Consolidated net
earnings of the company for 1950
| were $1,030,000.

PICTURES

psmmft

Wednesday,. May 1, 1957

Uptown & Downtown film Festivals

In Manhattan Hail Documentaries;
Museums Debate 'Showmanship’

.New York Sound Track

By ROBERT J. LANDRY

Festivals the 35m theatrical film
industry hadn’t got and. so far
doesn’t favor in America. But in

NOBODY KNOWS THE FACTS

At Manhattan Assembly

Golden and Silver Reel awards
in 23 categories were handed out
in Gotham last week as the Fourth.
Annual Film Assembly wound up
a three-day session at the Hotel
Statler. The 23 classifications
took in human relations, sales and
promotion, education, internation¬
al understanding, industrial train-

UUC511 L ArtVUJL 1U AillCUCd. JOUt w _ _.***:•—

Manhattan last week the pros of Films Medium of Unestablished L in Q rt ^? e ^nn nn^

the 16m industrial-educational-pub¬
lic relations film fraternity circu¬
lated between a “downtown Festi¬
val” (The Golden Reel competi¬
tion at the Statler) and an “uptown
Festival” (Art Films) at the Met¬
ropolitan Museum.

Data, Engineers Reminded Some 500,000 feet of 16m film

- were screened and viewed by

w . . . . more than 300 “judges” during the

Washington, April 30. sessions which were sponsored by
Semi-annual meeting of the So- the Film Council of America. In
ciety of Motion Picture & Televi- all 258 pictures were screened,
sion Engineers was reminded here Following are some of the Gold-
that “nobody knows” the figures- en Reel winners:
on how many motion pictures are Citizenship and Government—"The Big
made annually. Films serve so Ci * y '' 4nr

many purposes besides theatres fa£ety—"The Hot Rod Handicap’*

and television, viz, propaganda. Recreation—"A Place for Growing’*

test- kinescopes, instruction, mill- sh'arTln* Tom»r

Visits to two sessions at the mu- 0 n how many motion pictures are citizenship and Gov
seum made a plausible probability ma de annually. Films serve so City”
completely obvious; to-wit, what- many purposes besides theatres l?f U ety-"The H?t r

ever the . particular form motion an d television, viz, propaganda, Recreation—"A Piac

pictures take the industry, is al- test- kinescopes, instruction, mili- IcoS^’Yo^ 1

ways up to its sprockets in prob- tary and medical records, and so row"
lems. The word was never men- on industrial Processes

- Harvey. Zorbaugh, head of the

but what quite a number of the
speakers said, in fancier lingo,

NYU Cartoon Workshop and.chair-

institutional Promotion—"E v e n for
One”

Natural Resources—"Fish Spoilage Con-

man of the NYU Communicatiops "Natural Resources-"Fish Spoilage Con-
Amounted to this* »vc Jt(we ffPAnrv j _ troi**

more nhowmarishit) ” "V ^9^^ to i^ ® 01ca ^ ) l e “ Sales and Promotion—''Through the

more snoivmansrnp. television and satellite -classes was Loohing Glass”

Young or old, persons viewing revolutionizing academic life and *vant-Garde & Experimental—"A Short

films in schools, colleges, libraries, pl an s. * fTh t u r e *-"The Great Adventure”

museums, lodge halls or film SO- -- (Louis de Rbchemont)

cieties learn best what they enjoy story” an Relations— ” Hele11 KtUer 111 Her

most. When the pedagogs talk A r L Maui Hicfriluifni* In International Understanding — "Report

about a necessary “sense of excite- "9 llvlf I/loU lUUIOi 111 from.Africa P«t 1” (produced by Edward

ment’ in film, and agree that chil- Prifoin llifc MomL-aI- Literary? Miisical*and Theatrical Arta—

dren are remarkably critical when DlTUtlllf IlllS IVldlKCl "The Bespoke ^Overcoat” (distributed by

bored, they are saying “it doesn’t rir-.i L._iff f 1J ™Sn aS Ethic»-"Broic«i Mask;”

mean a thing without zing.” VvltD JdVHC IrtHIlSl 10lu Visual Arts—"The , London of William

The particular direction and em- . J Hogarth. _

phasis of the zing remains in dis- London, April 30.

pute. The director or cameraman Jack Bernard' has joined Nat N. I. to LUropO

who seeks “dramatic” values in Miller as sales director at Orb
photographing art by “zooming” Film Distribution Ltd., to start a
certain details may find himself new ren ti ng organization "^which

Avant-Garde Sc Experimental—"A Short
Vision.”

Feature s—"The Great Adventure"
(Louis de R6chemont)

Human Relations—"Helen Keller In Her
Story”

International Understanding — "Report
from Africa Part 1” (produced by Edward
R. Murrow and Fred W. Friend)

Literary, Musical and Theatrical Arts—
"The Bespoke Overcoat” (distributed by
Brandon. Films)

Religion and Ethics—"Broken Mask;”
Visual Arts—"The , London of WilUam
Hogarth.”

accused of undesirable

lwill handle several new American

tion” for classroom purposes. Cine- “ Ap^ from

^ ‘ifnwlr! ‘' Garden ° f Eda »” the « rSt Ya “ k

«rs and sculptors run the risk of product they will handle will be

the artist’s personality (per ex- » Fema i e
ample, Picasso was mentioned) '

holding attention so that little is *

gained instructionally as to his Orbs fi
technique. three new

“Female Jungle,” starring Jayne

Orb’s future schedule involves
three new pictures. Before join-

Split Opinion Like Brown Derby “8 company Bernard was

To hear the ventrv at the mu- with Guild Films Inc.

To hear the gentry at the mu-. Wlin ' jrUUQ * nms me.
seum divide as to what should and

should not go into a film is to be T A i AT V

back at the Hollywood Brown Der- to PI, I •

by. Only the vocabulary is differ- Irving Aaronson
erit. But the basic split is in the Fred Amsel

purpose for which 16m films are John Cameron

wanted. Often it is purely as a tool Jack Carson
to clarify technique or again be- Howard Dietz
cause a film can- condense a lot of Mildred Dunnock
facts and save precious lecture Arthur Freed
time. But the broader uses pf art Mona Freeman
films, some of which find^theatrical Martin Gabel

and television outlet, are wholiy Alex Gordon
consistent with the growing appre- John R. Jacobs Jr.
elation of showmanship, or a sense Robert E. Lee
of excitement. Joshua Logan

James Johnson Sweeney, curator Robert M. Mochrie
of N. Y.’s Simon R. Guggenheim p a t O’Brien
Museum, discoursed on the over- Charles M. Reagan
burden of description and- caption Robert Smith
now carried by art in general. He George Stoll
called this the “ear” approach— Lawrence Welk

knowing about what you see not in . Herbert J. Yates
terms of your own eye impressions

but of other people’s judgments. Europe to N. Y.

In chiding the reliance on “proper T . R ti k
phases,” Sweeney did not delight
all of the art critics and art his- 7* i* iSwLw
torians whose business is just these
-proper .phrases. But Sweeney is £f^ r fefrrawy •
daring to do something involving nick Vili Prawy
professional risk to himself, name- 1J1CK via

ly, producing a motion picture »♦♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦+»♦♦»♦♦+ > ♦♦♦
which uses the methods of art but A

doesn’t utter a word. This film, ” f* g. L ■*-,

a 10-minute color animation, “Ad- I .!lll ll ai /i^"l .3

ventures of the *, was exhib- - VUffVlI WO VII

ited at the Metropolitan in con-

nection with the Art Film Festival 4+ ♦ ♦ ♦ GENE 3V

and is reviewed in this issue of •

Variety on Page 6. Cannes, April 30.

Leo Dratfield, production man- xhe flags are up on the' Film
ager of a commercial house, Con- _ ...

temporary Films Inc., detailed the Palace of the 33 countries to be * n '

Europe to N. Y.

Jack Bostick
E. J. Davis -
Audie Murphy
Harold Myers
Dr. Marcel Prawy *

Dick Via

N. Y. to Europe

Erica Anderson
Claire Bloom
Frances Bolen
Robert Cravenne
Irving Drutm&n
Jacques Flaud
Eve Franklin
Enrico Fulchignoni
Milton Goldman
Milton A. Gordon
Paul Haesaerts
Fred Hift
Jerome Hill
Alexander S. Ince
Nunnally Johnson
Robert L. Joseph
Muriel Kirkland
Lou Levy

Mrs. Leonard Lyons
Gordon Mace
Ernest Mandeville
Mary Meerson
Don Murray
Otto Preminger
Jo Ranson
Nancy Ranson
John Read
Walter Reade Jr.

Manny Reiner '

Joan Seberg

John Springer

L. Arnold Weissberger

N.Y. to L. A

Mortimer Becker
Steve Broidy
Richard Conte
Marjorie Davies
George Englund
L. Wolfe Gilbert
Edmund Grainger
Nat Lapkin
Tom McKnight
Sol C, Siegel
Joseph R. Vogel

Catch-as-Catch Cannes

GENE 3

Cannes, April 30.

cept their Serene Highnesses who

The flags are up on the! Film will be visiting Rome.

, 1 *^ ti,* ^ in in Balo delegation wanting to put

temporary Films Inc., detailed the raiace 01 ine 00 countries to ne in- a replica of the Bridge 0 f Sighs
practical economics of 16m sub- volved in the Tenth Cannes Film over the fashionable Croisette with
jects. Just to get a print from Fest (May 2-17). No protocol was large lettering to the effect, “Visit
Europe for previewing means a risk intended but some touchy neigh- Venice.” The s . Cannes Chamber of
investment of $75. Any subject bors will be waving side by side. Commerce nixed this one.
put into catalog requires a mini- The annual trip of festival guests Annual Battle of Flowers, In
mum of 10 to 15 prints at $75 each, to the lies De Lerins, off the which the visiting stars rode down
again a fair amount of capital to Cannes shore, will be reinstituted the Croisette and got pelted with
tie up for a long-puH payoff. A this year. It entails drinking Per- flowers, will be out this year,
common practice, and often pre- nod with the Mayor of Cannes and ^Andre Maurois will probably
ferred, is for prints to be sold out- lunching on one of the Isles. It was head the feature film jury due to
right to institutions for $100 to called off previously due to oppa- seniority, and Albert Lamorisse the
$125 rather than rented at around sition by a nearby nudist camp and Short subjects judge due to his
$7.50. . a monastery. All are now recon- many past prizes at these manifes-

Look to Foundations for Coin ciled to the invading film people. tations (“The Red Balloon,” “White
Theodore Bowie, of Indiana U, Prexy Favre Le Bret trying to in- Mane”). With five Gallic members
who chaired one panel, threw out vite all the famed couples who met of the main jury staid members of
the Idea that it would be desirable at the Cannes Fest, and later mar- the Academy Franchise, Dolores
for foundation funds to finance art ried, such as Grace' Kelly and *Del Rio, George Stevens and Mi-
films and for companies such as Prince Rainier, Olivia De Havil- chael Powell are boning up on
Contemporary to get out of rentals land and Paris-Match editor Pierre French history. Charles Chaplin,
entirely. Dratfield supposed that Galante, Kirk Douglas and Anne who has just finished his “The
would curtail ‘the 16m distributor Budenz, Francoise Arnoul and pub- Kink, In New York,” may borne
still further—“since libraries, mu- licist Georges Cravenne and others, here for a visit. Scribes are hoping-
(Continued on page 20) Of the above, all may be here ex- he has a copy of the pic with him.

Quote Walter Reade Jr.: “TOA has picked an executive director
only I can’t say who it is. He doesn’t know it himself yet.” *

With reference to the Rome incident caused by Italo Undersecre¬
tary Giuseppe Brusasca’s “premature” announcement that the Amer.
icans would participate at Venj.ce this year, which reportedly upset
and embarrassed Erie Johnston:

Rome Film Row believes that it was a deliberate move on the part
of the Italians and not an innocent slip made'without the realization
that & recommendation to the N.Y. Board by Johnston did not mean
automatic acceptance. Harassing moves are thought armed to pr 0 .
voke acceptance of Venice by a sort of “fait accompli” move.

Gloria Swanson, a candid 58, interested the N. Y. film colony no
little Sunday as the first guest on the new ABC network show “The
Mike Wallace'.interview” (Philip Morris Cigs) and handled herself
with great poise, looking very handsome. Why she would not appear
in a peekaboo dress at Eas Vegas, a la Marlene. Dietrich: “I may not
have as good a figure.” About a crack of Francis X. Bushman that
Swanson was drawing room and Marilyn Monroe was universal: “When
I was about 14 he accidently touched me and I slapped his face” .. 4
and that might account for Bushman’s' dig . . . Fred Hift, linguistic
member of Variety's home office film staff, off to the Cannes Fes¬
tival and-bther European.centres of cinema . . . will be.gone three
weeks . . . Variety’s Paris man, Gene Moskowitz will also, per usual,
cover Cannes.

Erskine Caldwell says he’s not interested In selling a hovel to any
major studio because' there’s no guarantee the adaptation ever will be
filmed. Metro bought his “Greta” years ago and never did anything
with it. His next will be “Certain Women,” due next fall from Little,
Brown . . . Otto Preminger found the British production industry not
so well organized as Hollywood. And the British press keeps a close
eye on American film-makers at-work in their country . . . Buster
Keaton recalls how his old hits used to draw $50,000 from England but
only $5,000 from Russia, reason being prints would disappear after the
Soviet first-run dates. .

Committee of sponsors is being lined up for a testimonial for Louis
Nizcr at the Sheraton Astor June 9. Attorney is to be cited for his
philanthropic endeavors, .and proceeds go to the Yeshiva U Scholarship ,
Fund.

Overheard on Broadway where a group of ladies were discussing
which film to see: “There’s good movie at the Capitol, '12 Angry
Men,* " said one. “I don’t want to see that. I remember seeing it on
television,” said the other. (Picture is based on a Reginald Rose tv
original.)

Sidney Poitler, young Negro actor, re Southern race prejudice: “I'd
rather be a Negro than a Southern white having to live with the in-
consistencies / of his position” . . . World Horizons’ “Mark of the
Hawk,” revolving around race conflict in Africa, was bankrolled
by the Presbyterian Church for theatrical release, though it has no
religious* content but speaks for racial equality. Last church group
to get into theatrical production was the Lutherans with “Martin
Luther.”

Charles Egan, the MPEA rep in India is preparing to go to Pakistan
soon to discuss renewal of a new film agreement there. The old one
expires June 30 . . . Arthur Zegart, producer for Information Produc-.
tions, to be .honored at a N.Y. luncheon today (1) as co-winner of the
Albert Lasker Medical Journalism Award for 1956 . . . Gloria Moso-
llnOp who has a bit part in Ella Kazan’s “Face in the Crowd,” is the
wife of novelist Jamea Jones . . . Sam Engel, 20th producer, in town,
ogling the shows.

Metro purchased “No Blade of Grass,” John Christopher novel now
being serialized in the Satevepost and handed it to Lawrence Wein-
garten for production under Avon banner . . . Columbia signed Wil¬
liam Rayner and Herbert Margolies to script “Spain Sire,” teenager
series which originally appeared in Woman’s Home Companion . ..
*ingo Preminger will shoot Evelyn Waugh’s “The Loved One,” starring
Alee Guinness, at Churubusco Studio, Mexico City.

Hollywood newcomer Rory Harrity, 23-year-old Harvard graduate,
son of playwright-writer Richard Harrity (“Hope Is the Thing with
Feathers”) and novelist-short story writer Mrs. N, Davenport Camp,
left fof the Coast this week on a WB two-picture deal. He’ll head¬
quarter with his great-uncle, veteran director Henry Brenon (“Beau
Jeste,” “Sorrell and Son,” “Peter Pan”).

Audie Murphy, who recently completed “The Quiet American” for
United Artists release, returned from Europe * Monday (29) on the
S.S. United States . . . E. J. Davis, managing director of Walt Disney
Mickey Mouse Ltd., in from Britain yesterday (Tuesday) on the Queen
Elizabeth.

Skedded appearance of Sophia Loren on Edward R. Murrow’s “Per¬
son to Person” program May 3 was nixed by Paramount Pictures last
week “because of production,” according to a studio spokesman.
CBS-TV previously issued a brief statement that the Italian star'
wouldn’t appear “as previously noted.” Actress will be in middle of
last day’s full dress rehearsal for Don Hartman’s production, “Desire
Under the Elms,” which-rolls May 6, studio, pointed out.

The old radio alumnus Cal Tinney to do a dialog polish job on Nor¬
man S. Hall’s “The Missouri Traveler” for C. V. Whitney Productions.
He’ll also appear in it . . , Jeff- Richards asked for and received his re¬
lease from his Metro contract after six years and 16 films . . . Nathan¬
iel Frey, currently In “Damn Yankees” on Broadway, will make hi?
film bow in “Kiss.Them For Me,” Jerry Wald production for 20 th re¬
lease . . . Stephen' Longstreet to script “The -Cardinal’s Secret” for
Laguna Productions . . . Richard Einfeld, exec assistant to Edward L
Alpelrson, teamed with Merrill White to form Whitaker Productions,

Universal’s, seventh annual Charles J. Feldman sales drive winds up
Saturday (4) . . . Metro opened a new 1,000-car drive-in in Australia
last week. Theatre is the 14th of the company’s Australian chain
and the 46th in Metro’s overseas circuit . . .- Budd Rogers supervising
the distribution of the RKO .combo of “Sdh Devils” and “Flying
Leathernecks” set for 354 theatres in New England during May. D*
are part of a group of films not included in RKO’s dead with Univer¬
sal and are being released by indie distributors . . . Harry B. Lachman,
artist-film director, marks his return to the att field with a show of h»
paintings At the Hammer Galleries, N.Y., May 1-14 . . . Jeff Livingston,
Universal’s ad manager, in Newport News, Ya. to set premiere 01
“Joe Butterfly” ... Stanley Kramer will start his film production ox
the Broadway hit, “Inherit the Wind,” this fall . . . Barney Ross wjj
make personal appearances in 12 cities to spotlight regional opening’
of his film biography, “Monkey-On My Back” . . , Anthony Stw
stricken with scarlet fever in Paris and is now in the American
pital . . . Paul Radin named a v.p. of the Ashley-S.teiner Corp. of Bev-*
efly Hills. He’ll also serve as a member of the board of b°th w,
east and west ebast offices of the percentery . , . Reissue of w® 1
Disney’s “Cinderella’ 1 in 450 key spots expected to top $500,000 jj
billings during Easter Week *. Robert Aldrich’s “The Ride Back s e
for 150-date national saturation booking this month . . . Don Muff"
off to the Cannes Film Festival, *.

'Wednesday* May 1* 1957

PS&ieSy

PICTURES

Organizations Convene in Cannes

' „ Cannes, April 30.

Meeting here, simultaneously with the Tenth Annual Film Fes¬
tival (May 2-7) will be a number of international film bodies, to wit:

international Federation of Film Producers, the validating
group. It will debate the problem of the other principal film fes¬
tival, Venice, which at the moment lacks endorsement for 1957.
Italians will have to eat crow and repent their unilateral dictation
to all other countries to get accepted.

International Assn, of Film Authors. They still ride their dream
of percentage participation in films.

International Assn, of Film Art Houses, with seven members
(France, West Germany, Belgium, Great Britain, Austria, Switzer¬
land, Holland), grouping ower 80 specialized art houses wants to
set up a free exchange of these art" films between the countries
involved, and is' now joining with UNESCO to otain ‘‘diplomatic
privileges” in ej&hange as -important cultural contributions.

00 r 1 • I JULES DASSIN REPEATS

A/UIIIIII Ivu 111 Expatriate American Again Repre¬

sents France at Cannes

Cannes Festival: Jules

with a second French film of his,
{ffl |* I 11 “Celui Qui Doit Mourir” (“He

I Pnllim KirnhlAlTI Who Must Die”) adapted from the
1 Gtlllllll 1 1 Wll/111 Greek" nove: “Christ Recrucified”
(by Nikos Kazantzakis) picked to
Cannes, April .30. rep France offcially at the Cannes
Tenth Cannes Film Festival, to Film Festival. His first film
run from May 2 to 17, gets a showy “Rififi,” copped the direction
opening this Thursday night (12) award in Cannes in ’55.
with the out-of-competition screen- Dassin, an American director, left
ing of Mike Todd's “Around thp the U.S. in '46 after he had been
World In 80 Days” (UA) to be named by somebody before the
followed by a party hosted by dis- Un-American Activities Commit-
tributor. tee.

With 33 countries entering 33 ---

full length films and 30 shorts, ' , M

volume will call for two showings M f 1 Ij 1 1 1 T 1

per day with some double features. 11117 I A

The heavy number of pix, the many V * 1 ”

parties and cocktails in the ,pffing,

plus the record turnout of film peo- O 1 I f) •

pic and personalities expected, ^\||IQC||piK| a pT|f|]p|'P
may well have many of the partici- 1 1 vllllVl 1/

pants wall-eyed before the prize-

giving rolls around oh the eve of J 1 i\\!•

^ i7. tountv 2 la Wind

Robert Favre Le Bret,,the fes- VVUIWJ U1U If I11U
tival president explains that he , . . . , .

tried to cut the number of films . Metro plans to launch Rain-
down by allowing only one offi- VV1 ^ a • ^p one WRh

cial pic per country, but invites Wind J ype ■ Ram “

soon swelled the total. Le Bret * ree > com-

realizes that too many features with GWTW s $4,000,000, is

may make for drag. There will be M-G s most ambitious undertaking
an attempt to schedule against too since Wind,
many also-rans creating visible- “Raintree,” although filmed in
ahead, deadspots as happened last Metro’s new 65m process, will most
year. Le Bret feels that the qual- likely ibe released only in 35m
ity for 1957 is high. CinemaScope. Looks like film will

’ There will be feverish commer- be opened in late September in
cial activity at the festival. Last Louisville. Carloads of stars and
year it was estimated that film newspapermen will be brought to
sales deals amounted to over $2,- the Kentucky city for the.series of
000,000, and it is expected to be hoopla events. In that respect, it
higher this year. will compare with the events that

Le Bret is operating on a $120,- greeted “Wind” when it opened in
000 budget in spite of increased in- Atlanta *18 years ago. Simultane-
vites and festivities’ to make up ous with the Atlanta bow, th6 pic-
the 10th anni aspects of the fest. ture opened day-and-date at two

- _ theatres in New York, with the

Capitol showing the film on a con-
Cannes Advance Guess I tinuous run policy and the Astor
r\ u * r, _ n i on. a reserved seat two-a-day run.
Un "nze rront-Runners | The Capitol and the Astor—the lat¬
ter if it is available on the release
date—are being considered for the
“Raintree” launchings under simi¬
lar policies followed with “Wind.”
If the Astor theatre > cannot be
booked because of a prior com¬
mitment. there is a possibility that
Loew’s State Theatre will get the
two-a-day engagement.

“Raintree” was sneaked for the
third time on the Coast last week
for a contingent of homeoffice and
studio executives, including sales
v.p. Charles M. Reagan, pub-ad
chief Howard Dietz, assistant sales
managers John P. Byrne and Rob¬
ert Mochrie, and studio execs Ben¬
jamin Thau and E. J. Mannix. Offi¬
cially Metro revealed that the pic-,
ture will be launched with special
premiere engagements this fall in
key cities apd that it will be sup¬
ported with the largest national
advertising and exploitation cam¬
paign in the company's history.

Cijicy Tent May 20 Drive

^ Cincinnati, April 30.

Variety Club, Tent 3, annual Old
Newsboys Day fund-raiser for its
charity fund, is scheduled for May
20. Robert McNaab and Phil Fox
are co-chairmen.

• Program supports training for
retarded children, linked with
Goodwill Industries activities for
handicapped. Cincy dailies take
turns in donating special papers.
This time it’s the Times-Star.

DINKS fiELUCTftNT; Paramount Doing Reverse Waltz
BUT yp To Other Producing Companies;
i-Z'ZTZL ..» Not Increasing Total Schedule

Cannes, April 30.

Cannes Film Festival as of 1957
is tops in prestige over the other
pnzegiving “A” festivals (Edin¬
burgh, Venice, Berlin, Karlovy
Vary) although overladen.

America’s musical “Funny Face”
/ ^viewed in Variety,
^/13/5), is a possibility for special
awards; “The Bachelor Party”
(UA) (reviewed In Variety 3/5/57),
is in the idiom of “Matty” which
grabbed the Golden Palm two
years ago; Allied's “The Friendly
ffrsuasion” (reviewed Variety
v/ 26/56) could also possibly rate
acting or special jury prizes.

. France looks big with Jules Das-
*m s “Celui Qui Doit Mourir”
(He Who Must Die) which has
good advance word-of-mouth. This
concerns . the effect of a Passion
\. lay on the characters who are to
P*ay the divine figures; and Robert
o> 1 a S P 0ns 4<1 ^n Condamne A Mort
^chappe” (A Condemned
io a /^/ Gape d), reviewed in Variety
12/56), an austere tale of a fan¬
tastic escape from a Gestapo jail
ttay also be in the running.

•it >r n My Federico Fellini’s
Le Notti Di Cabiria” about a ten-
uer, trusting joy girl looking for
salvation in love, and A. Lattuada's
i^ endoline ” about an estranged
i d and Wife who make up
dra £ their adolescent daughter
*way from her first love with a
(Continued on page 19).

By FRED HIFT

American film companies’ atti¬
tude vs. overseas film fe^ivals is
undergoing a gradual change, with ,
many of the executives tfow taking
a more positive view towards these
events. ^

While the expression “tourist
trap” is still occasionally batted
around, most of the companies now
have come to realize that the fests
serve a solid economic purpose,
both, as showcases for the. new-
product and as trading marts where
deals can be conveniently nego¬
tiated and closed.

There is no question that Cannes
and Venice are more important for
the independents who are crowd¬
ing in to pick up product for re¬
lease in the U.S. th^i they are for
the major outfits which, on„ the
whole, don’t come to grips with im¬
ports. The one exception is Colum¬
bia Pictures whose Edward L.
Kingsley has already left for the
Cannes fest.

Whereas Cannes and Venice
loom large for the indies, Berlin
has become a prestige “must” for.
the American majors who consider
it part of the East-West political
battle.

There was a time, and not long
ago, when the major companies
were reluctant participants in
European fests. Attitude was that
the competitions were loaded
against the Americans and, in a
larger sense, against “commercial”
product. This has now changed
.somewhat, partly because the fes¬
tivals themselves have recognized
that they must strike a happy mid¬
dle road between art and the box-
office.

Cannes today looms as. Europe’s
most important film fest and it
gets the full support of the Motion
Picture Export Assn. There is
every indication that Eric Johnston,
now back in the States from Rome,
will propose to the MPEA board
participation in this year’s Venice
bash. The one company that may
spike the plan is Metro, which still
is sore about the “Blackboard
Juhgle” incident of two years ago.

Both Cannes and Venice hold
certain commercial advantages for
the Americans, with Cannes par¬
ticularly important in that respect
since imports into France are far
more restricted than imports into
Italy. Under the rules of the In¬
ternational Federation of Film
Producer Assns., each film shown
at Cannes (or Venice) rates an
extra import license and, in the
case of Cannes, free remittance up
to $250,000. In today’s tight mar¬
ket, these e3ftra licenses count.

The American companies now
realize that it’s important for them
to create an impact at these fests,
and here—again—there is the ele¬
ment of competition with the Red
orbit. However, the degree of en¬
thusiasm varies. Whereas a com¬
pany like 20th-Fox, for instance,
is determined to enter its films in
any festival, Universal is luke¬
warm figuring that its chances of
getting an entry are slim at best.

One of the obstacles that has
arisen is the speedqd-up release of
new features in Europe so that, it
virtually coincides with release of
the pictures in the U.S. This is one
reason why 20th this year isn’t
repped at Cannes. It simply didn’t
have ready any of its new films
to qualify under the rules, i.e., that
an entry can’t have been released
on the Continent before it’s shown
at the fest.

The American companies would
dearly love to see the arrangement
go into effect under which Cannes
and Venice go on in alternate
years. This was decreed some time
bapk by the International Federa¬
tion, but never implemented. Both
Cannes and Venice have made ef¬
forts to streamline their fests so as
to separate the. wheat from the
chaff, and they have done this by
cutting the number of “official”
entries to one from each country.
Method hasn’t worked out too well.

Probable Cannes Winners

Cannes, April 30.
Prior to its opening the top
contenders for important
prizes at 'this year’s Cannes
Film Festival are considered,
in this sequence: France, Italy,
United States, Russia.

There are whispers of- sleep¬
ers from Sweden and Japan
that might rate.

Export Assn. Puts
Up $15,700 For
U.S. at Cannes

Motion Picture Export Assn.’s
budget for the Cannes Film Festi¬
val was approved in N. Y. by the
foreign managers. Total runs to
5,500,000 fr. ($15,700) which is only
slightly higher than last year.

Budget is split primarily among
the companies that have pictures
entered at the fest, i.e. Paramount
(“Funny Faces’’), Allied Artists
(“Friendly ’Persuasion”), 'United
Artists (“Bachelor Party” and
“Around the World in 80 Days”).
Non-partipipating companies also
share.

Cannes runs from May 2 to May
17.

While no definite decisions have
been made, the companies gen¬
erally now are undpr the impres¬
sion that the MPEA will partic¬
ipate in this year’s Venice film fest.
Venice organizers met with the
MPEA party headed by Eric John¬
ston in Rome last week. They have
made concessions designed to per¬
suade the U. S. companies to re¬
turn to the fest which—officially—
skipped in 1956.

‘ One of the Venice problems is to
let the Americans have their way,
i.e. let them choose at least the “of¬
ficial” entry, and yet not to dras¬
tically change the written rules
which caused MPEA to pull out of
the fest in the first place.

The MPEA Cannes budget is
primarily for publicity purposes. It
may go up some before the fest is
over.

Spain Values Execs With
American Pix Know-How;
Perez Up on That Basis

Madrid, April 30.
Juan Perez, Madrid general
manager for C. B. Films (United
Artists Iberian outlet) resigned
last week to take over head dis¬
tribution desk at Dipenfa-Filmayer.
Perez, who spent nine years with
the Bud Ornstein affiliate, is a
familiar figure within the industry
and has an influential voice in dis¬
tribution circles as a member of
distribs governing board within the
Sindicato Nacional del Especta-
culo. He also acted as redtape
expediter with the title of “official
liaison” in “Alexander the Great.”
“The Pride and the Passion” and
the recently-shelved “Thieves Mar¬
ket.”

While Perez switch brings him a
bigger desk and larger ashtrays,
it also reflects jockeying here by
strong Spanish indies who are
willing to woo experienced execs,
particularly those hep to U. S. film
handling in Spain.

Move over is the second this
year. Three months earlier, En¬
rique Herreros Jr., pub-ad chief
for C. B. Films Madrid, left to join
Dipenfa across the street on Film
Row as production pub director
and foreign office rep, J

Paramount has taken to playing
“lone wolf” in the world of the
motion- picture, pursuing multi-
directioned courses which set it
apart from all other companies.

The major studios, with one ex¬
ception, are stepping up produc-^
tion schedules at present. The'
one exception is Par. This outfit
continues to concentrate on mak¬
ing- about 20 features a year and
reasons that adequate properties
and packages are not available to
go over that number.

In raising their output, War r
ners, Metro, Columbia, 20th-Fox,
et al., simply will be turning out
merchandise that will mean little
to the companies themselves or to
exhibitors because the public won’t
buy it, according to the Par
theory. This is the theory hold¬
ing that program-type pictures
have become an economic drain on
the entire industry and only the
provocative “A” productions con¬
tribute to the welfare of both the
exhibitor and the film company.

Even a reissue is better than a
moderate-sized new picture, in
Par’s estimation. Cited as a case
in point is the current handling
of “For Whom' the Bells Toll”
which, in four test runs, out-
grossed such Par clicks as “Rose
Tattoo,” “Man Who Knew Too
Much” and “Proud and the Pro¬
fane.” “Bells Toll” is 13 years
old.

(A smash success in virtually
all situations is Walt Disney’s cur¬
rent reissue of “Cinderella.”)

One responsible source offered
the thought this week that all
companies have* important back-
number pictures which could do
much in the way of aiding exhibs
in the need of product. This
would obtain particularly, he said,
during the lull times such as Holy
(Continued on page 19)

Easy This Year
To Name-Drop

Cannes, April 30.

A large representation of film
folk are due at this year’s Cannes
competition. Expected are David
Niven, Fernandel, Bob Hope, Dor¬
othy Dandridge, Audrey Hepburn,
Mel Ferrer, Gary Cooper, Mike
Todd, Elizabeth Taylor, Yul Bryn-
ner, Ingrid Bergman, Henry Fonda,
Martine Carol, Anita Ekberg, Mar¬
tha Hyer plus U. S. stars currently
filming on the Continent, viz Kirk
Douglas, Deborah Kerr, Burt Lan¬
caster and Rita Hayworth.

U. S. will be repped governmen-
tally by Nathan Golden of the U. S.
Scientific Motion Picture and Pho¬
tographic Products Division of the
Dept, of Commerce, and by Marc
Spiegel, Paris Motion Picture Ex¬
port Assn, rep, for the industry.
Both are festival veterans.

Feature jury this year is some¬
what topheavy in French names
with seven Gallic and four foreign.
Of the French five are Academie
Francais, so it looks to tjp a stable,
solid prizegiving body. French
jurors: Andre Maurois, Jean Coc¬
teau, Marcel Pagnol, Maurice Gen-
evoix, Jules Romains, Georges
Huisman and Maurice Lehmann.
Foreign reps: George Stevens
(U. S.), Dolores Del Rio (Latin
America), Michael Powell (Eng-
I land),' .Vladimir Voltchek, Czech
director, repping the Eastern Com¬
munists countries.

Short subject jury has Luigi
Comencini, Wladimir Golovnia,
Claude Aveline, Jean Vivie and
Albert Lanorisse, all filmmakers.

Practically all the Important
U. S. indie foreign film distribu¬
tors and exhibitors, will be on
hand, viz Jean Goldwurm, Walter
Reade Jr., Ed Kingsley, Ed Harri-
sonn, Ilya Lopert, Richard Davis,
Richard Brandt, Harry Brandt, and
others. •

6 HIM REVIEWS

PKHlETr

Sometv iPg of Value

Race hatred melodrama. Story
of the Mau Mail uprising, with
Rock Hudson, Dana Wynter,
Sidney Poitier for marquee -
yalue. Grim but effective.

Metro release of Pandro S. Berman
production. Stars Rock Hudson, Dana
Wynter, Wendy Hiller, Sidney Poitier;
features Juano Hernandez, William Mar¬
shall, Robert Beatty, Walter Fitzgeraio,
Michael Pate, Ivan pixoh, Directed by
Richard Brooks. Screenplay by Brooks
from Robert C. Ruark’a "Something of
Value*’; camera, Russell Harlan; music,
kliklos Rozsa; editor, Ferris Webster •
Previewed In New York April 24, *57.

Running time, 113 MINS.

Peter McKenzie .Rock Hudson

Holly Keith .«..Dana Wynter

Elizabeth Newton.Wendy Bi'ier

’ Klmani ..Sidney Poitier

Njogu .Juano Hernandez

Leader .William Marshall

Jeff 'Newton . Robert Beatty

Henry McKensie.......Walter Fitzgerald

Joe Matson-.Michael Pate

Lathela .;. Ivan Dixon

Witch Doctor .Samadu Jackson

Adam Marenga...Frederick O’Neal

Waithaka .:.John J. Ak.ir

This is Hollywood’s first serious
attempt to. get to the roots of the
Mau Mau uprising in Kenya, East
Africa, and the dramatization of
the Robert Ruark bestseller comes
off as potent screen entertainment.
It’s a grim yarn, and a violent one,
but it also manages to combine the
action angles with plenty of
thoughtful dialog concerning the
rights and wrongs of the bloody
revolt.

Richard Brooks, in his dual ca¬
pacity as director and writer, has
. fashioned the kind of picture that
will mean different things to dif¬
ferent people. To some, it’ll be no
more than the story of the upris¬
ing, of an incredibly cruel, to-the-
death struggle between a ragged
band of natives and the white set¬
tlers. There’s enough menace in
.'this one to make the blood run
chill.

To others, “Something of Value’’
will say a lot more, for the screen
here also speaks of the rights of
• man, of equality and human dig¬
nity, of condescending colonialism
in an age of comparative enlight¬
enment, and of the waking up of
the dark Continent. With all the
excitement of raids and sudden
death, it is still a film that can be
greatly moving as it follows the
tortured course of a young Negro
boy, driven into desperation and
violence against his better judg-
. iqent, and into his death by treach¬
ery.- ’ .

Shot against -the actual back¬
grounds, which v enhances the real¬
ism of the picture, most of the
figures in the film ring true and
their motives are believable. Cast
generally is good, with Sidney
Poitier as Kimani, the intelligent
Kikuyu boy, delivering an out¬
standing portrayal. He carries-the
picture and gives it power and
strength as one watches his resent¬
ment grow and finally explode into
an orgy of killing. The perform¬
ance has depth and great under¬
standing and rates plenty kudos.

Opposite him, Rock ‘ Hudson
brings a quiet dignity to the role
of Poitier’s white. boyhood friend.
The relationship between the two
men, fighting on opposite sides,
each with vengeance in the eye and
yet full of compassion, is the pic¬
ture’s symbol of faith of a better
world to come.

Perhaps, in the figure of Hudson,
“Something of Value’’ crosses that
thin dividing line between enter¬
tainment and ’’preaching.’’ He rep¬
resents the faction that believes in
the rights of the Englishmen who
came to Kenya to farm, yet knows,
too, that colonialism cannot sur¬
vive unless it is tempered wi'h
understanding and a willingness to
recognize the dignity of the indi¬
vidual, white or black. It is he who
argues that one cannot deprive a
people—primitive or not—of their
customs and the things they hold
sacred, without replacing thenr
..with “Something of Value.’’

There may be some Pixie folk
whose ears may be offended by the
outspoken dialog about the yearn¬
ing for equality arid the rights of
man. For them, the picture has the
blazing guns and the scenes of na¬
tives cowlring before the blows of
the white man, smouldering with
hate, but taking it all the same.
They may find some apt parallels
in this film. /

If there is a weak link in the
proceedings it is Dana Wynter.
Apart from looking lovely, she de^.
livers very little and her lines are
handled without conviction. Actress
‘has registered a lot more strongly
in other films. Wendy Hiller as
Elizabeth Newton, whose husband
is cut down by‘the Mau Mau'Sncl
who is severely wounded in a raid,
etches a strong portrait in a brief
role. 4

Walter Fitzgerald plays the gen¬
tle and considerate ranchowner
with the proper degree, of under¬
statement, which makes his even¬
tual furor the more believable. As
the native leader, Juano Hernan¬
dez turns in a good performance i

that reaches its climax when,
trembling before a stone God, he
denounces his, comrades. Michael
Pate hits the right note as a sadis¬
tic farmer.

Many elements have been pulled
together by director Brooks", and
he has achieved a difficult balance,
not only in, his pacing, but also in
the presentation of the points-of-
view. There Is no question that
“Something of Value’’ does have a
point-of-view in- itself, and it is one
which every decent American
should applaud. Yet, 4 iri arguing the .
British settlers’ point, and in por¬
traying the mere! 1 ess and cruel
violence unleashed on them by the
Mau Mau, Brooks has done justice
to his subject,.

He has played for realism in his
scenes. He doesn’t hide the ugli¬
ness of the race relations, nor that
of the indiscriminate eye-for-ari-.
eye killing. There is tension^in his
film, and the feeling of a primitive
•people aroused and fanned into
action by irresponsible leaders.

“Something of Value” doesn’t
argue for violence. It argues for
understanding. Yet it manages, in
the person of Poitier, to give' a
glimpse, of the new Africa—young,
easily misled through appeal to
bitter /resentments, and yet con¬
scious of new responsibilities. For
Brooks’ script makes it quite plain
that, even as he turns killer, 'Poi¬
tier never ^abandons i his doubts
whether what he is doing is right.
He has killed and he has plundered
the house where he was brought
up with kindness. And when he
agrees to surrender without a final
fight, it is like an act of expiation,
a triumph of reason over emotion.

Russell Harlan’s lensing is very
effective and. contributes to the
film’s dramatic impact, -particu¬
larly in his excellent bloseups.
Miklos Rozsa’s music catches the
flavor of,, the country and of the
proceedings. But it is Ruark’s story,
and it- is Poitier’s film. And the
tagline is effectively written,
when Hudson’s gun-carrier muses
out loud, as they wait for the
trapped Poitier:

“I want the same thing for us as
he does. Only I think there’s a dif¬
ferent way of getting it.” Hift.

The Kettles on Old
MacDonald’s Farm

A new Pa Kettle (Parker Fen-
nelly) joins Ma (Marjorie
Main) In rural antics down on
on the farm. Average example
of homespun series.

Hollywood, April 30.

Universal release of Howard Christie
production. Stars Marjorie Main, Parker
Fennelly, Gloria ^Talbott. John Smith; fea¬
tures Geprge Dunn, Claude Akins, Roy
Barcroft, Pat Morrow, George Arglen.
Directed by Virgil Vogel. Screenplay,
William Raynor, Herbert Margolis; cam¬
era, Arthur E. Arllng; editor, Edward
Curtiss; music supervirion, Joseph Gersh-
enson- Previewed April 23, *57. Running
time, 79 MINS.

Ma Kettle .. Marjorie Main

Pa Kettle . Parker Fennelly

Sally Flemming . Gloria Talbott

Brad Johnson.. John Smith

George .. George Dunn

Pete Logan .. Claude Akins

J. P. Flemming . Roy Barcroft

Bertha . Pat.Morrow

Henry ... George Arglen

Ma arid (new) Pa Kettle handle
the rural antics in this ninth of
the Universal comedies and score
the expected laugh results. Entry
is par for the series course, mean¬
ing the market that usually finds
the Kettle pix profitable will con¬
tinue to do so with this one.

Parker Fennelly- takes over {he
Pa character long done by Percy
Kilbride and stays close to .the
type created by the latter in pre¬
ceding entries, although not with
as sure a comedy sense. Marjorie
Main’s Ma creation handles most
of the laugh load, with a surefire
assist from George Dunn. Latter,
doing a takeoff on his garbage man
role from U’s “Away All Boats,” is
a decided. help'in . sharpening the
chuckles in the William Raynor-
Herbert Margolies screenplay.

Ma, Pa, and large brood get in¬
volved this time around in setting
up marriage for Gloria Talbott,
spoiled rich girl, and John Smith,
poor but honest lumberman. Title
comes from fact the Kettles have
purchased Old MacDonald’s farm,
leaving their former ramshackle
acres deserted. Latter serves as
the site for Ma and Pa to teach
Miss Talbott the ins-and-outs of
being a backwoodsman wife.

Mixed in with the romance is a
marauding bear known, as Three-
Toes, and his presence accounts
for quite. a bit- of comedy chase
footage as the action plays off un¬
der Virgil Vogel’s dkay direction.
Shots of a lumberman’s ' rodeo,
showing tree-topping, log-rolling
and similar outdoor sports, are in¬
cluded'as a background for plot
antics.

Cast members assembled for
Howard Christie’s production do
their chores satisfactorily, and the
technical ends, Including Arthur E.
Arling’s lensing and the editing by
Edward Curtiss, are capable.

Brog.

Johnny. Tremnin

(COLOR)

Boston Tea Party and ot'her
events in Americana .make
only fair entertainment.

Hollywood, April 30.

Buena Vista release of Walt Disney
presentation. Stars Hal Stalmaster, Luana
Pattern, Jeff York; features Sebastian
Cabot, Dick Beymer. Directed by Robert
Stevenson. Screenplay. Tom Blackburn;
based on the Esther Forbes novel; cam¬
era (Technicolor), Charles P. Boyle; edi¬
tor, ' Stanley Johnson; music, George
Bruns; songs, Bruns and Blackburn. Pre¬
viewed April 26, *57. - Running time, SO
MINS.

Johnny Tremain . Hal Stalmaster

Cilia Lapham . Luana Patten

James Otis Jeff York

Jonathan Lyte ........ Sebastian Cabot

Rab Silsbce .. Dick Beymer

Paul Revere ... Walter Sande

Samuel Adams . Rusty Lane

•Tosinh Quincy . Whit. Bissell

EDhrnim Lapham. Will Wright

Airs. Lapham. .Virginia Christine

Dr, Joseph* Warren. Walter Coy

Major Pittrnirn . Geoffrey Toone

General Gage . Ralph Clanton

Colonel Smith . Gavin Gordon

Admiral Montagu ... y.. Lumsden Hare
Jehu . . Anthony Ghazlo Jr.

The Boston Tea Party, the Bat¬
tles of Lexington and Concord,
and other events in America’s War
of Independence provide a histori-
cally-significant background for
“Johriny Tremain.” Unfortunately,
the Bueria Vista release doesn’t
have the excitement, spirit or- sus¬
pense that must have featured the
struggle for the principles of free¬
dom. It is only fair entertainment
at best and faces a spotty box-
office.

The elements of dramatic action
•needed for this type of costume
feature are sacrificed to chrono¬
logical authenticity in the Tom
Blackburn screenplay from the
Esther Forbes novel, and Robert
Stevenson’s direction can do little
more than let it play as written.
Even the conspiracy to end taxar
tion without representation and
subseauent key parts in the Min¬
ute Men rebellion play with a
tameness that arouses little inter¬
est. Sjime goes for the perform¬
ances which, while competent, lack
fire or derring-do.

Story is told through the eyes
of the title character, a silver¬
smith apprentice played by Hal
Stalmaster. He becomes involved
in the secret plotting of such his¬
torical names as Paul Revere,
Sam Adams, James Otis, and Dr.
Joseph Warren, who want to gain
recognition and representation for
the colonists in the New World.
The dumping of the British tea
into Boston harbor, while the
British admiral watches and prac¬
tically admires the deed, makes
the event’s significance dim. May¬
be it happened that way, but dra¬
matic license would not have been
overboard had some suspense via
threat to the boarders been inject¬
ed, or even implied. Same goes
for most of the other historically
correct events, like Revere’s mid¬
night ride, the flashing of the sig¬
nal lanterns, etc.

Along with young Stalmarter,
Luana Patten is pretty as his
yo t ung love. Jeff York appears as
Otis; Sebastian Cabot as Stal-
master’s British-minded Uncle;
Dick §eymer, young printer; Wal¬
ter Sande as Revere; Rusty Lane
as Adams; WhiUBissell as Josiah
Quincy; Walter Coy as Dr. War¬
ren. Among others are Lumsden
Hare as the British admiral; Geof¬
frey Toone, Ralph Clanton and
Gavin Gordon as British officers.

, “Johnny Tremain” and “Liberty
Tree” are two George Bruns-Tom
Blackburn tunes heard in- the
film. Bruns also did the back¬
ground score. Charles“P. Boyle’s
Technicolor lensing is good, with
the color adding to the costumes
and period settings of early-day
Boston. ( Brog.

Sierra Stranger

Howard Duff turns Good
Samaritan and gets into trou¬
ble; pretty confusing plotting
for the western market.

Hollywood, April 29.

Columbia release of Norman T. Herman
(Acirema) production. Stars Howard Duff,
Gloria McGhee, Dick Foran, John Hoyt,
Barton MacLane, George E. Stone; fea¬
tures Ed Kemmer, Robert Foulk, Eve
McVeagh, Henry "Bomber** Kulky, Byron
Foulger. Directed by Lee Sholem. Story
and screenplay, Richard J. Dorso; cam¬
era, Sam Leavitt; editor, Leon Bnrsha;
music, Alexander Courage. Previewed
April 26, *57. Running time, 73 MINS.

Jess Collins .*. Howard Huff

Meg Anderson . Gloria McGhee

Bert Gaines .Dick Foran

Sheriff . John Hoyt

Lem Gotch . Barton MacLane

Dan . George E. Stone

Sonny Grover . Ed Kemmer

Tom Simmons . Robert Foulk

Ruth Gaines .. Eve McVeagh

Matt.Henry "Bomber" Kulky

Claim Clerk . Byron Foulger

The range action in “Sierra
Stranger” shows the trouble a man
can get into by trying to help an¬
other. Plot follows a talkative
course arid the action doesn’t carry
much conviction so the best that
shapes for this Columbia entry,
produced by Norman T. Herman

_ Wednesday, May 1, 195 7

Art Museum Itself a Film Producer

(j Guggenheim's '“Adventures of the *”)

Thought to be the first moving, picture ever directiy 'originated
and financed, by an art museum, a 10-minute color animation short
called. “Adventure of the *” was introduced’ last Week ifi corner
tion with the Art Film Festival in Manhattan. It’s a dancing"
floating, tumbling, frolicsome arid adventuresome asterisk. There
is no narration, no spoken word at all. Only a few quasi-explana-
tory printed words with the opening credits. Musical track is bV
Benny Carter’s 18-piece jazz bunch and the vibraphones of Lionel
Hampton. How art museums are changing.

Produced by the Simon R. Guggenheim Museum and projected
at the Metropolitan Museirin to an audience of curators, librarians
critics, scholars, educators and professional “communicators’'
this imaginative and challenging experiment'has been in the plan,
ning and creation over a year. Not the least arresting fact in con-
nection with it is this: the Guggenheim’s own curator, James
Johnson Sweeney, making his maiden appearance as a screen
producer and corauthor, has his eye on theatrical bookings!

If, as is probable, this animation short proves a publicity-getter
theatrical circulation is possible, certainly among the 250 -odd
situations devoted to foreign, offbeat and esoteric product. The
film is only indirectly “about” art. Rather, it is “of” art in the
sense of employing impressionistic, and abstract painting values
organized within the frame of dramatic animation. Above all, it
is a moving picture, amusing in its own terms.

The short may well stir some debate since its “message” is often
in the eye of the beholder, like modern art itself. But the thesis
is clear enough! the'asterisk is alive, interested, open-minded, able
to see new things, appreciate adventure (in color and design) and
in consequence has a lot of fun. Put another way, the asterisk is
“modern.” His father, cartooned as a wobbly lump, is “old fogey’’
—not necessarily to be translated as “academic.” *

. Qn the art and museum side “Adventures of the •*” is surely a
milestone in experiment. The design and direction of John Hub-
ley, the editing of FaithrElliott and the manipulation of flat car¬
tooning, angularity, in setting, singularityjn color all combine to
create vigorous, crowded, tumultuous impact. This short “evokes.”

Of the craftsmanship (it was made at Storyboard. Inc.) it is nec¬
essary to speak in superlatives although the precedents lie with
“Fantasia,” “McBoing-Boing” and “Magoo”—commercial subjects,
all. Land.

under the Acirema Productions
banner, is the program oater mar¬
ket.

Howard Duff plays the title role
in the Richard J. Dorse story and
if he is puzzled as much of what’s
going, so will the'viewer be. By
the time plot angles begin to clear
up, it’s established that the like¬
able young miner Duff saves from
a beating is really a bad boy, who
goes on to prove it by killing a
stage guard in a holdup and trying
to gun Duff. With these facts made
clear, it dawns on Duff why the
citizens of Colton have had no use
for him when he mentioned the
young man’s name. Lee Sholem’s
direction is handicapped somewhat
by the complication-laden screen¬
play and the multitude of charac¬
ters who have no apparent reason
for most of their actions. Still, he
gets suitable performances from
the cast, from Duff on down, and
Ed Kemmer. being introduced as
Sonny GroVer, the bad boy, makes
an okay impression. Among others
are Gloria McGhee as' a woman
who gets tired.of waiting for Kem¬
mer to straighten out and turns to
Duff for romance; Dick Foran,
Kemmer’s half-brother 'who be¬
lieves the lad can do no wrong;
John Hoyt, a do-little sheriff; Bar¬
ton MacLane and Robert Foulk,
seemingly town heavies because
they resent Kemmer’s claim-jump¬
ing; 'George E. Stone, town drunk,
and Eve McVeagh, Foran’s suffer¬
ing wife.

Technical credits'" are standard
for budget outlay. Brog.

Jews in Poland

(Yiddish)

(DOCUMENTARY)

Federation of American Polish Jews
release of Simon Fedcrmann-Polish State
Film Studios Films. Directed by B. Lado-
wicz. Narrative by A. Tadziemcc. At
Cameb Theatre, N.Y., April 17, '57. Run¬
ning time, 42 M|NS.

(In Yiddish; •English titles )

“Jews in Poland,” a documen¬
tary purporting to show the recov¬
ery of the Jewish population Jn
Poland, appears anachronistic in
the light of the recent reports of
a wave of anti-semitism there.
Filmed in 1948 bf Simon Feder-
man with* the cooperation of the
Polish JState Film Studios, it re¬
traces the destruction of the War¬
saw Ghetto by Hitler’s mobsters,
mentions the heroes of the under¬
ground, and shows Jews of the
new Poland at work a^d play.

Film employs a reportorial tech¬
nique in that it contains interviews
with Polish Jewish leaders who, of
course, say that things are fine
now under the Communist regime.
Via the itinery of twu-representa¬
tives of American Jewish organ¬
izations, the viewer visits factories,
synagogues, and Jewish cultural
centres.'Most interesting is an in¬
terview with Ida Kaminska, leading
performer of the Jewish State
Theatre of Warsaw, a state sup¬
ported company. Miss Kaminska
revealed - that the troupe had
presented 40 plays and had given
210 performances which were seen
by 80,000 people in Poland over a
: seven-year period,
i The narration is in Yiddish and

English titles are provided., The
film, although photographed poorly
when compared to American stand*
ards, nevertheless effectively por¬
trays the terrible plight of Poland’s
Jewish population during the Ger*
man occupation. Appeal of the film
is. of course, limited to Jewish or*
ganizations. Holl.

- Stella

(GREEK)

Tale of Greek passion, star¬
ring attractive newcomer,
Melina Mercouri. May please
in the U. S. arties/

Joseph Burstyil Inc. release of Mlllai
Films Production. -Stars Melina Mercouri,
Georges Foundas, Aleko Alcxandrakl*.
Sophia Vembo; features Voula Zoumbou-
Iaki, Christina Calo'gerlkou, D. Papayan*
nopoulo, Tasso Cavvadia, Costa Caralli.
Directed by Michael Cacoyannis. Screen*
play, Cacoyanrlis from ■ stageplay by I.
Cambanclis; camera. Costa Tliocdorldts;
music, Manos Hadiidakis. Previewed In
N.Y., March 29, '57. Running time, 91
MINS.

Stella . Melina Mercouri

Milto .Georges Foundai

Aleko .\Aleko Alexaridrakli

Maria ... Sophia Vemko

Anneta . Voula Zoumboulald

Milto’s Mother.Christina Calogerlkol

Mitso . r. . D. Papaynnnopoule

Aleko's Sister .’... Tasso Cavvadli

Antoni . Costa Caraile

(In Greek; English Titles)
This is the first feature film to
come from Greece with a claim to
real attention, and while the pic*
ture has a strong national flavor
and lacks in some technical vir¬
tues, it’s nevertheless an exploita¬
tion entry with, a definite poten¬
tial.

“Stella” is strongly reminiscent
of some of the early Italian post¬
war imports, though ii^lacks their
absolute sense of drama. It’s »
story about a strongwilled, passion¬
ate girl who drops her lovers when
they become serious and propose
marriage. Whether she actually
loves her men, or whether she’s»
nymphomaniac, is hard to make
out. In any case, she drives every¬
one mad with desire, particularly
her last lover, a burly football
player whom she jilts at the altar
and who finally kills her.

Film vacillates between high
drama and some arid stretches.
Greek music arid dancing are
fiery, but tend to slow up the itortt
The tunes, while highly rhythmic,
are also strange to American ears.

Melina Mercouri plays Stella*
She’s attractive and properly
moody in a demanding role.
Georges Forindas as the lover »
convincing and—in his final scene*
—excellent. So is Christina Calo*
gerikou as his mother.

Direction is by Michael Caco¬
yannis, touted as one of. the great
new talents in Europe. “Stella
benefits from his flashes of imag*
ination and his sense of the-dra¬
matic, which at times seems over*
played, Costa Theodoriaes’ earner*
work Is perfectly attuned ta t n<
story. , . ...it

It’s questionable that “Stella
will collect many critical raves,
but its raw simplicity and occa
sionally wild spirit stand to pleas*
many. Story is Sufficiently offjg
to allow for/ plenty exDloitatloa
handles, which is a plus factor.

fftjt*

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

. FILM ItRVIEWS . 7

The Hid© Back

- (SONG)

Suspenseful offbeat western
drama, but lightweight mar¬
quee values. Average grosses.

United Artl»t* releaM of William Con-
Coirid; “eatur« UU Milan. Directed by

Allen H. Miner: S«e*uplay> Antony Ellis;

,‘Lva, Joseph. Rlroc;.. editor. Michael
t nciano; music. Frank d« Vol. ; Previewed
K April 12. W. Punning time. 79
MIPS* ' - ' ‘

fallen ..». * . Anthony Quinn

Smlsh’ .......William Conrad

Kd. George Trevino

P?,iid ..Ellen Hope Monroe

t , J, ’ . Joe Dominguez

joy ‘ ... Louis Towers

Replete with psychological over¬
tones is "The Ride Back,” a story
of a man and his mission. While
the action takes place on the Mex¬
ican border, circa 1870, this Asso¬
ciates and Aldrich presentation is
no ordinary western but a search¬
ing study of a conflict between two
men.

Script is of an exploitable na¬
ture. But boxoffice prospects are
hampered by relatively unknown
players save for Anthony Quinn
who stars. Picture can rely upon
average of playdates in the general
market. Sales potential overseas
will be helped by the frequently
used Spanish dialog.

However, the unusual Antony
Ellis yarn almost falls in the art
house vein. With , special handling
the film conceivably.could tap this
field for favorable results. It’s a
simple story Ellis tells and under
Allen H. Miner's leisurely direction
it slowly unfolds-in a fatalistic at¬
mosphere.

William • Conrad, who also pro¬
duces, is a Texas deputy assigned
to bring back Quinn from Mexico.
He’s a fugitive there on a couple of
murder charges. Pair’s personal
character and-mental quirks come
to the surface on the long "ride
back - .”

Quinn is well cast as the part-
Mexican outlaw. He’s crafty, la¬
conic and rugged. But he has his
redeeming qualities, too, as shown
by his friendship to children and
voluntary return to trial after Con¬
rad is wounded by marauding
Apaches.

Curiously, the general drift of
the story is so downbeat and moody
that neither Quinn nor Conrad ex¬
cite much audience sympathy. The
latter, a failure b‘y his own admis¬
sion, hopes to achieve success at
last by bringing Quinn in. His re¬
strained performance accents the
disquieting aspects,of the Deputy’s
role.

Supporting players* portrayals
are in keeping with the film’s
sombre tone. Ellen Hope Mortroe,
child befriended by Quinn and
Conrad after her parents were
slain by the Apaches, contribs a
touching performance as does Lita
Milan as Quinn’s Mexican girl
friend. George Trevino is okay as a
Spanish-speaking border • guard
while Victor Milan registers as a
padre opposed to Quinn. Joe 'Do¬
minguez and Louis Towers are seen
in lesser roles.

Sepiatone lensing of Joseph Biroc
apparently is intended to empha¬
size the story’s suspenseful nature,
but it’s almost too low key at times.
Michael Luciano’s editing and Wil¬
liam Glasgow’s art direction 1 are
par for the course as are other
technical credits.

Music composed and conducted
by Frank de Vol is good. In addi-.
tion, he cleffed the music on his
fairish title song which is, occa¬
sionally heard in the background.
It s sung by Eddie Albert. Conrad’s
production mantling reflects a
hiodest budget. Gilb.

Hellcats of the Navy.

Naval action okay but dully
Plotted script. Fair dual-bill
situations.

p . . Hollywood, April 12.

release of Charles H. Schneer
(Morningsidel production. Stars Ronald
Sfj‘San. Nancy Davis, Arthur Franz; fea-
ff/® 8 Robert Arthur, William Leslie. Wil-
Phillips, Harry Lauter, Michael
J o se Ph Turkel, Don Keefer. Dl-
• navfi 1 T b y Nathan Juran. Screenplay,
.Lang,. Raymond Marcus: screen
j °ry. Lang; based on book by Charles A.

’ te Wo ^. Vice-Adm., USN, Ret., and
wans Christian Adamson, Col., USAF,
JevA™ ca m 1 i. era ' frying Llppman; editor,
knf? m T» Thpms; music, Mlscha' Rakaleini-

time, 11* MINS? d AprU V' 57 * Runnin *

Casey Abbott.Ronald Reagan

Heien^ Blair ... Nancy Davis

pi' £omm. Don Landon... Arthur Franz
Lt pK . W arren ......... Robert Arthur

. CarrMi Ul Prentice.William Leslie

Wea iL;.. William Phillips

Chari u* rton . Harry Lauter

Chiit e . Michael Garth

Don Keefer

Athnii?? ......... Selmer Jackson

omn al Lockwood.......Maurice Manson

lb? 11 ™ submarine operation in
Vi® Tsushima ;Strait and Sea of
thfbackgrounds "Hellcats . of
in» The underwater fight*

with a formula plot
which at times gets awfully trite,

but results are still okay for the
general dual-bill situation.

The actiop stress and a feeling
t>f suspense generated in sequences
dealing with the Navy’s charting
of mine fields in the Strait so that
it can move on Japanese shipping
carry the k burden under Nathan
Juran’s . direction of Charles . H.
Schneer’s Morningside production
for Columbia release.

Script by David Lang and Ray¬
mond Marcus plies a hackneyed
course . dealing with problems of
command that will sacrifice one
man to save many and the resent¬
ment this causes. A romantic ahgle
is plastered to the carcass of the
plot *nd means little.

Ronald Reagan is the sub com¬
mander around whom the . Navy
underseas operation pivots. He
plays it sternly, without being the
typical film version of, a martinet.
Arthur Franz is the executive
officer who believes Reagan’s sac¬
rifice of Harry Lauter during a
frogman operation results from
personal feelings rather than re¬
gard for the safety of other per¬
sonnel. Franz* does, what he can
with the stock character. Nancy
Davis is the nurse waiting on shore
for Reagan to make up his mind
about marriage—a thankless role.

' Crew characters are "to type”
and include Robert Arthur, Wil¬
liam Leslie, William Phillips, Lau¬
ter, Michael Garth, Joseph Turkel
and Don Keefer. Seen as Admiral
Nimitz is Selmer .lackson while
Maurice Manson- plays Vice Ad¬
miral Charles A, Lockwood, real
life officer who wrote the book on
which the script is based with Col.
Hans' Christian Adamson, USAF,
Ret.

A foreword by Admiral Nimitz,
who supervised the . actual World
War II operation, is used to build¬
up authenticity. This succeeds as
fa* as the fighting is concerned,
but cannot make real thg unorigi-
na 1 screen story Lang concocted
from the Lockwood-Adamson book.,
Irving Llppmjm’s fensing, editing
and other behind-P^mera functions
come off okay. Brog.

Tli© Oklahoman

(C’SCOPE-COLOR)

Mighty close titling but solid
western, with Joel McCrea.
Good reaction.

Hollywood, April 23.

Allied Artists release of a Walter Mir-
Isch production. Stars Joel McCrea, Bar¬
bara Hale, Brad Dexter, Gloria Talbott;
features Verna Felton, Douglas Dick.
Michael Pate, Esther Dale, Anthony
Caruso, Adam Williams, Ray Teal. Di¬
rected by Francis D. Lyon. Screenplay,
Daniel B. Ullman; camera (DeLuxe color),
Carl Guthrie; editor, George White;,
music, Hans Salter. Previewed April 12,
'57. Running time, to MINS.

John Brighton.Joel McCrea

Anne Barnes ............ Barbara Hale

Cass Dobie . Brad Dexter

Marla Smith . Gloria Talbott

Mrs. Waynebrook.Verna Felton

Mel Dobie . Douglas Dick

Charlie Smith . Michael Pate

Hawk .. Anthony Caruso

Mrs. Fitzgerald . Esther Dale

Randell .Adam Williams

Stableman .. Ray Teal

Little Charlie ...Peter Votrlan

Marshal .....John Pickard

Solid western values are incor¬
porated in this story of the-Okla¬
homa territory of 1870, carrying
hefty appeal and effectively
mounted in CinemaScope and lush
DeLuxe color. Names of Joel Mc¬
Crea and. Barbara Hale, topping a
first-class cast, will help lift film
to a better-than-average. playoff.
Only title will suggest Rodgers and
Hammerstein’s "Oklahoma."

The Walter Mirisch production
picks up McCrea, a doctor en route
to California whose wife dies at
childbirth, electing to remain in the
Oklahoma town where she is bur¬
ied. Medico sets up practice in
frontier community which is pretty
well run by Brad Dexter and Doug¬
las Dick, cattlemert-hrothers who
ride high .over the otherwise peace¬
ful settlement. The Daniel B. UU-
m#n screenplay graces the growing
enmity between McCrea and Dex¬
ter, out to get medico after he
protects an Indian whose land Dex¬
ter is trying to take over for its
oil. Fast climax is provided in a
gunfight in which Dexter is killed
and McCrea wounded.

Director Francis. D. * Lyon gets
good performances from his cast
and keeps action tense and moving
in his unfoldment. McCrea handles
his doctor character, who finally
straps on a gun when the going
becomes hot, with authority and
Miss Hale, a widow who runs a
large Cattle spread, supplies the
romance in interesting fashion.
Dexter makes a smooth, and menac¬
ing heavy; Gloria Talbott, as an
Indian girl in love with McCrea,
socks over the parf; and Michael
Pate Is excellent as her father, who
kills Douglas Dick in self-defense.
Both Miss Dale and Verna Felton,
spicy-tongued and romance-loving
mother of Barbara Hale, are tops.
Mimi Gibsen enacts McCrea’s
daughter.

Technical credits generally kre.
above par,. Carl Guthrie’s color
photography outstanding, George
White’s editing tight and Hans Sal¬
ter’s music score benefiting the
action. * Whit

The Burglar

About all this jewel heist film
has got Is what Jayne Mans¬
field’s got for ballyhoo. Dull
entertainment.

Hollywood, April 23. .
Columbia release of Louis W. Kellman
production. Stars Dan Duryea, Jayne
Mansfield, Martha Vickers; features Peter
CapeU, - Mickey Shaughnessy, Wendell
Phillips, Phoebe Mackay; Stewart Bradley.
Directed by Paul Wendkos. Screenplay,
David Goodis, from his hovel; camera,
Don Malkames; editor, Herta Horn; score,
Sol Kaplan; bassoon solo, S. Schoenbach;
song, 'You Are Mine,” Bob Marucchl,
Pete Deangelo, sung by Vince Carson.
Previewed April 19, '57. .Running time,
90 MINS.

Nat Harbin ..Dan Duryea

Gladden . Jayne Mansfield

Della ;. Martha Vickers

S ck . Peter Capcll

er . Micky Shaughnessy

Police Captain .. Wendell PhUlips

Sister Sara...Phoebe Mackay

Charlie .. . Stewart Bradley

News Commentator.John Facenda

.News Reporter .Frank HaU

rNewsreel Narrator . Bob Wilson

State Trooper . Steve Allison

Harbin as a child .Richard Emery

Gladden p/s a child... Andrea McLaughlin
and

Frank Orrison, Sam Elber, Ned Carey,
John Boyd, Michael Rich, George Kane,
Sam Cresson, Ruth Burnat.

Ballyhoo possibilities pegged to
Jayne Mansfield inheritor of the
biggest facade in Hollywood hon¬
ors, may help "The Burglar’s”
chances in the general ^program
market, although it falls short of
being satisfactory entertainment.
Poor scripting and direction, and
overlong footage, are strikes
against a ready popular acceptance.

Dan Duryea# Miss Mansfield and
Martha Vickers star in the Colum¬
bia release which Louis W. • Kell¬
man produced independently in
Philadelphia. Each manages to
overcome handicaps posed by.
David Goodis’ scripting and Paul
Wendkos’ direction to rate an okay
for performance. The same can’t
be said for other casters, most of
whom are permitted to overact to
’the point of oldtime scenery-chew¬
ing, especially radio’s-Peter Capell
in* his role as a member of Dur-
yea's burglar gang.

Novel opening is a newsreel-type
Prolog, in which Duryea spots a
necklace he wants. Plot then
moves int.o the story,, goes through
the heist of the jewels from the
mansion of a Philadelphia spirit¬
ualist, followed by the gang’s hol-
ing-up in a battered old house
while the police look for clues and
set law-enforcement machinery
into work.

Basic story Idea, taken from
Goodis’ novel of the same title, is
okay, but suspense and action are
by-passed and sloughed while the
assorted characters go into long
soliloquizing about how they got
into their various predicaments.
These interruptions kill any sem¬
blance of pacing and make the 90
minutes of footage, already over-
long, seem even longer. Duryea,
Mis* Mansfield, Capell and Mickey
Shaughnessy make up the gang,
while Martha Vickers and Stewart
Bradley are the pair trying to hi¬
jack the jewels. Among the many
unfamiliar faces are Wendell Phil¬

lips, police captain and* Phoebe
Mackay, the spiritualist.

Don Malkames’ lensing pays at¬
tention to highspots of the Phila-
delphia-Atlantic City locales while
helping story mood, and the score
by Sol Kaplan passes muster. "You
Are Mine,” tune by Bob Marcucchi
and Pete Deangelo is sung by Vince
Carson as a background for a bar¬
room sequence without too much
effect. ’ Brog.

Rock All Night

Lowgrade stuff attempts to cop
a fast-buck ride on music fad.

Hollywood, April 24.

American-International Pictures release
of a Sunset Production. Stars Dick Miller,
RusseU Johnson, Abby Dalton; features
The • Platters, The Blockbusters, with
Robin Morse, Richard Cutting, Bruno
VeSota, Chris Alcaide, Mel Welles, Bar-
boiira Morris, Clegg Hoyt, Jonathan Haze,
Richard Carlan, Jack De Witt, Bert Nel¬
son, Beach Dickerson, Ed Nelson. Di¬
rected by Roger Corman. Screenplay,
Charles B. Griffith; story, David P-. Har¬
mon, camera, Floyd Crosby; editor, Frank
Sullivan. Previewed April 24, '57. Run¬
ning time, 62 MINS.

Shorty .-. Dick Miller

Julie ...* Abby Dalton

The Platters .... The Platters

The Blockbusters.The Blockbusters

Al .... Robin Morse

Steve . Richard Cutting

Charley . Bruno VeSota

Angie . Chris Alcaide

Sir Bop . Mel Welles

Syl . Barboura Morris

Marty '...... Clegg Hoyt

Jigger .. Russell Johnson

Joey .Jonathan Haze

Jerry . Richard Carlan

Philippe .. Jack De Witt

Bartender . Bert Nelson

The Kid :.:.Beech Dickerson

Pete . Ed Nelson

Here’s a weirdie—on the order
of - "Time of Your Life”—to* the
rhythm of rock *n’ roll. Extremely
mediocre, and drawing unintended
guffaws at its metjnee bow here
yesterday, "Rock All Night” is
being packaged as a double-bill
with "Dragstrip Girl.”

Entire action in the Charles B.
Griffith screenplay, based on a
story by David P. Harmon, takes
place inside the Cloud Nine, a
small neighborhood bar into which
walk the local characters to catch
such r&r groups as The Platters
and The Blockbusters. Most of the
action (aside from the vocal inter¬
ludes) centers around Dick Miller,
known as "Shorty* (5' 1"), who
hates all big guys and thus keeps
himself continually in trouble.
Subh trouble comes to a climax
when two murderers take refuge in
the bar and are recognized. It’s in
the interim before Miller subdues
the duo that those within the tav¬
ern reveal their true natures.

Only the performance (very
good, especially considering the
so-so production and direction) of
Dick Miller in the lead keeps the
audience’s interest in the film
from disintegrating. The musical
break-ins are unimpressive, and of
the supporting cast, only Robin
Morse (as the bartender) and Mel
Welles (as ^ smalltime hip-talking
agent) manage to make any impres-
sion.

James H. Nicholson functioned
as executive producer, Roger Cor¬
man as producer-director. Neal.

Capsule Foreign Film Reviews

Pans, April 2.

Sous Le Clel De Provence (Under Skies
of Provence) (FRENCH-ITALIAN; COLOR).
Stars Fernandel; features, Giulia RubUji,
Andrex, Tina Roca, Alberto Sordi. Di¬
rected by Mario Soldati. Screenplay,
Cesare Zavattini, Aldo Benedettl, Piero
Tellini; camera (Eastmancolor), Nicolas
Hayer; editor, Christian Gaudin. At Nor¬
mandie. Paris. Running time, 100 MINS.

Film Is a remake of the 1943
Italo pic, -"Four Steps in Clouds.”
Though,made by an Italian direc¬
tor, this lacks the more r.obust as¬
pects of the Italo character to
make it plausible and taking. It
emerges a hybrid with French
logic conflicting with. the more
generous Italians. As -a vehicle
for Fernandel it does not give him
much chance for comedy. It re¬
mains chancey for the U. S., and
its color, making for expensive
printing costs, also limits this to a
few special situations at best. .

Fernandel is a henpecked travel-'
ing salesman who, out of kindness,
decides to help a girl he meets in
a bus. She is going home pregnant
to a stern farming family and begs
him to come and say he is the hus¬
band, and then leave. He is caught
up by the family affairs and then
unmasked. Color and ‘ production
are good, but story rarely gives
the right balance of comedy and
drama . ’ Mosk,

Paris, April 2.

Bohsolr Pari*, Bonlour L'Amour
(FRENCH; COLOR/ SONGS; DANCES).

Sonofilm release of Bobeal production.
Stars Daniel Gelin,- Dany Robin; features
Adrian Hoven, Mara.Lane, Grethe Weiser,
Georges Reich. Directed by Ralph Baum.
Screenplay, J. - E. Jouve, Baum, Jean
Ferry, Claude Accurcl; camera (Eastman¬
color), Michel Kelber; music, L. Glass;
editor, Claudine Bouche. At Marlgnnn,
Paris. Running time, 9S MINS.

Gallic attempt at a musical does
not prove much. It is in the cliche
groove but okay French returns

are likely. This is limited for the
U. S. except for possible secondary
situations on its Paris background.
However, color again makes for
expenses that may be a detriment
for any.U. S. chances.

Plot vaguely concerns a Bohe¬
mian brother and sister mixed «up
in dancing and jam-sessions. She
falls for an Austrian pianist and
to keep him in Paris she farms out
as a “B” girl to get him money. He
finds out and misunderstands but
all is righted at the clinch.

Daniel Gelin and Dany Robiq
are at ease in this childish musical.
Gags, though familiar, are accept¬
able. Dance and song segments are
fair and color helps. French are
feeling their way in musicals and
have yet to approach the level of
this type U. S. pic. Mosk.

Vienna, April 2.

Das Hetlige Erbt (Holy Heritage) (AUS¬
TRIAN). Sascha Film release of Rondo
Film production. Features Hermann
Erhardt, Christl Erber, Olga von Togni,
Georg Grdeller, Willi Roesner, Eduard
Koeck, Fred Hennings, Sepp Rist, Rudolf
Walter, Kurt Buelau, Alfred Boehm, Kurt
Mueller-Reitzner, Peter Goeller, Otto
Loewe and Herbert Kroll. Directed by
Alfred Solm. Story by Frenz Mayr-Meln-
hof, Norbcrt Kunze, Guenther Schwab,
Alfred Solm; music, Harald Boehmelt.
Urania Kino, Vienna. Running time, 90
MINS.

Wild animal life in the Burgen-
land on the Hungarian border sup¬
plies the background for "Holy
Heritage,” Story of a forester, who
accidentally kills a poacher and
must quit until he is rehabilitated
plus two romantic angles is well
written and directed. Casting is
good.

Camera crew Richard Angst,
Fritz Olesko, Albert Hoecht and
Hans Gessl deserves high credit.
Direction by Alfred Solm is solid.
Other technical details are nice.

Maas .

Gim Duel In Durango

Routine George Montgomery
western for the action situa¬
tions.

United Artists release of .a Peerless
Productions Inc. presentation produced
by Robert E. Kent. Stars George Mont¬
gomery, co-stars Ann Robinson, Stev«
Brodle; features Bobby Clark, Frank Fer¬
guson, Donald Barry, Henry Rowland,
Denver Pyle, Mary Treen. Directed b>
Sidney Salkow. Screenplay, Louis Stev¬
ens; camera, Maury Gertsman; editor,
Robert Golden; music, Paul Sawtell, Bert
Shelter. Previewed N. Y. AprU 26, *57.
Running time, 73 MINS.

Han ..George Montgomery

Judy . Ann Robinson

Dunston ...Steve Brodie

Robbie ..Bobby Clark

Sheriff Howard.. Frank Fergusoa

Larry ..... Donald Barry

Roy ..Henry Rowland

Ranger Captain...Denver Pyle

Spinster ...Mary Treen

Jones ...Al Wyatt

f*urt . . .Red Morgan

Stacey ...;. .Joe Yrigoyen

Efforts of a notorious outlaw
leader to go straight are the story
ba§is of "Gun Duel in Durango.”
It’s a modest budget western that
shapes up as a routine entry for
the action situations and the Satur¬
day matinee trade. Cast offers
scant marquee values save for
George Montgomery who starfc.

Written by Louis Stevens, the
yarn concerns experiences of
Montgomery after he voluntarily
steps down as head of the infamous
Will Sabre gang. Naturally, his
former colleagues attempt to bring
him back into the fold. But de¬
spite their threats and skulldug¬
gery, he triumphs at the windup
in a blaze of fancy six-shooting.

Montgomery is amply forthright
as the reformed Hang chief. On
hand as the femme interest is Ann
Robinson. A pert brunette, she has
a stock role as a ranch owner who
vows to wed Montgomery Qnce he’s
shown himself to be an honest citi¬
zen. Steve Brodie is sufficiently
sinister as the outlaw who assumes
leadership* of the gang following
Montgomery’s withdrawal.

Sidney Salkow’s breezy direction
is particularly evident in the ac¬
tion sequences of this United
Artists release. Topping the sup¬
porting players is moppet Bobby
Clark as an orphan whom Mont¬
gomery has befriended. He's seen
in much of the footage and sup¬
plies a strong 1 element of audience
identification for pre-teen film-
goers.

Among other thespers participat¬
ing in this Peerless Productions
presentation are Frank Ferguson,
good as a laconic sheriff; Denver
Pyle, okay as a Texas Ranger cap¬
tain, while Don Barry, Henry Row¬
land, Red Morgan and Joe Yrigo-
gen turn in standard portrayals as
outlaws.

Lensing of Maury Gertsman is
good as is the editing of Robert
Golden who trimmed the celluloid
to a tight 73 minutes. Par for the
course are the physical’ values of
producer Robert E. Kent and Wil¬
liam Ross’ art direction. Other
technical credits, including music
of Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter,
are standard. Gilb.

Dragstrip Girl

Hotrod cars and leather jack¬
eted youth. Pretty good pro¬
grammer.

Hollywood, April 24.

American-International Pictures release
of a Golden State Production. Executive
producer, Samuel Z. Arkoff; producer,
Alex Gordon; director, Edward L. Cahn;
story and screenplay, Lou Rusoff; cam¬
era, Frederick E. West; art direction, Don
Ament; film editor, Ronald Sinclair;
music, Ronald Stein. Stars Fay Spain,
Steve Terrell, John Ashley, Frank Gor-
shin. Features Russ Bender, Tommy Ivo,
Gracia Narciso, Tito Vuolo, Dorothy
Bruce, Don Shelton, Carla Merey, Leon
Tyler, George Dockstader, Bill Welsh.
Edmund Cobb, Woody Lee, Judy Bamber.
Reviewed at Fox Theatre, Hollywood,
Calif., April 24, '57. Running time, 49
MINS.

The inherent thrills, chills and
spills of teenagers in their Souped-
up hotrods supply enough action
to make "Dragstrip Girl” a‘better-
than-average programmer. Aimed
at the levi and leather jacket trade
—where it may find reception—
film is being packaged as a double¬
bill with v the not-so-much "Rock
AH Night.”

• Fay Spain essays the title role,
a blonde spitfire who digs boys and
hotrods. Providing the triangle are
Steve Terrell, a garage worker and
the hero; and John Ashley, rich,
egotistical. He’s the heavy, of
course. Prior to the "big dragstrip
race,” Ashley, racing through the
streets, hits and kills a man, and
sneaks off the scene. Wind-up finds
Terrell winning the race and Miss
Spain, and the law cuffing Ashley.

The Lou Rusoff story and screen¬
play neatly kneads into the yarn
topical racing ingredients, includ¬
ing the inevitable "chicken race.”
Edward L. Calm's direction wisely
concentrates on the action provided
by the script.

Miss Spain, a looker, also proves
her thespic capability here, while
Terrell and Ashley are good as the
male toppers.

. Samuel Z. Arkoff served as ex¬
ecutive producer of the Alex Gor¬
don production. Neat'

8

PICTURE GROSSES

Pfe&IEffY

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

L.A. Tapers; ‘Spirit* Nice $27,000,
‘Dragstrip’ Light 65G, 13 Spots;
M Dull 11G, ‘Face* Big13G, 2d

Los Angeles, April 30-

Post-holiday slump is on, with
inost second-week pix tumbling
sharply and with new entries also
affected. Best new entrant is
"Spirit of St.’Louis,” good $27,000
In three locations. Combo of
"Dragstrip Girl” and "Rock All
Night” looms light $14,000 in three
houses plus $51,000 in two nabes
and eight ozoners.

Reissue "For Whom ifell Tolls”
Shapes dull $11,000 in two sites.
"Great Man” lpoms only slim $7,-
000. "Funny ; Face” is slipping to
a good $13,000 in second round at
Hollywood Paramount. "Boy On
Dolphin” is skidding to a slow $10,-
000 in second Chinese stanza.

"Around World in 80 Days” still
Is near-capacity for 19th round
after smash takings last week.
Both "10 Commandments,”, in 24th
week, and "Cinerama Holiday,” in
77th frame, cpntinue fine.

Estimates for This Week

Downtown Paramount, Egyptian,
Wiltern (ABPT-UATC-SW) (3,300;
1,503; 2,344; 90-$l.80)—"Spirit St.
Louis” (WB)., Good $27,000. Last
week, D’t. Para, Wiltern with Hol¬
lywood, "Hellcats of Navy” (Col)
and "Tall T” (Col), $24,100 plus
$37,200 in eight drive-ins; Egyp¬
tian, "Zombies Mora Tau” (Col)
and "Man Turned to Stone” (Col)
(2d wk), $1,900.

State, New Fox,' Uptown (UATC-
FWC) (2,404; 765; 1,715; 90-$1.50)
—“Dragstrip. Girl” (AIP) and
"Rock All- Night” (AIP). Light
$14,000. Last week, in different
units.

Orpheum, Hollywood (Metropol-
itan-FWC) (2,213; 756; «0-$1.25)—
"For Whom Bell Tolls” (Par) (re¬
issue) and "Feai^, Strikes Out”
(Par). Dull $11,000 or near. Last
week, Orpheum with Vogue, Up¬
town, Loyola, "Kronos” (20th) and
"She-Devil” (20th), $18,100.

Warner Downtown, Hawaii (SW-
G&S) (1,757; 1,106; 80-$1.25)—

"Great Man” (U). . Slim $7,000.
Last week, D'town with New Fox,
"Battle Hymn” (U) and "Kelly and
Me” (U) (2d wk), $10,300 plus $27,-
700 in two nabes, four ozoners.

El Hey (FWC) (861; 90-$l,50)—
"Tears for Simon” (Rep). Drab
$1,000. Last week, "Private’s Pro¬
gress” (DCA) (4th wk), $1,900.

Hollywood Paramount (F&M)
(1,468; 90-$1.80)—"Funny Face”

(Par) (2d wk). Still good at $13,000
if off sharply. Last week, $24,500.

Chinese (FWC) (1,908; $1.25-$2)
—"Boy On Dolphin” (20th) (2d wk).
Off to $10,000. Last week, $17,800.

Los Angeles, Vogue, Rita, Loyola
(FWC) (2,097; 885; 1,330; 1,248; 90-
$1.50)—"Heaven Knows, Mr. Alli-
(Continued on page 14)

‘Spirit’ Rousing $13,500,
Cincy; ‘Dolphin’ Fancy
8G,‘Wonders’14G, 47th

Cincinnati, April 30.

"Spirit of St. Louis,” week’s
only new bill, is tops on the down¬
town beam with a hefty Albee
gross. Holdovers 6f "Boy on Dol¬
phin” at Palace arid "Cinderella”
at Keith’s are still winning strides.
"Seven Wonders” keeps rolling
-along sturdily in 47th frame at
Capitol. Hot weather and first
home stand of baseball season for
Cincy Reds are making a dent in
cinema biz.

Estimates for This Week

Albee (RKO) (3,100; 90-$1.25)—
"Spirit of St. Louis” (WB). Hefty
$13,500. Last week, "Funny Face”
(Par), $13,000.

Capitol (SW-Cinerama) (1,376;
$1.20-$2.65) — “Seven Wonders”
(Cinerama) (47th wk). Regaining
to sturdy $14,000. Last week, $13,-
500.

Grand (RKO) (1,400; $1.25-$2.25)
—"10 Commandments” (Par) (19th
wk). Exiting at $10,000 pace,
same as last week. Engagement
sets new house record for total
take ,and length of run.

Keith's (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25)—
"Cinderella” (BV) (2d wk).
Sprightly $8,000. Last week, $14,-
000, last-half fading and blamed on
summer heat and home stand of
Cincy Reds.

Palace (RKO) (2,600; 75-$1.10)—
"Boy on Dolphin” (20th> (2d wk).
.Good $8,000* ifc 0 days after $14,-
-000 bow.

Broadway Grosses

Estimated Total Gross

This Week.$676,600

(Based on 26 theatres)

Last Year .$555,100

(Based on 24 theatres )

‘Dolphin* Dandy
$23A Toronto

Toronto, April 30.
Only newcomer to major dglux-
ers is "Boy on a Dolphin,” big in
three houses. Easter holiday fort¬
night, with youngsters temporarily
out of school, has boosted, biz. Biz
is also big for many second week
pix'such as “Baby and Battleship,”
a British import, rated solid in two
houses. "FunnyJFace” shapes okay
in second stanza, as is "Spirit of
St. Louis.” "Cinderella” looms
good in first holdover round in
four spots.

EstimatesTtor This Week
Carlton. Colony, Fairlawn (Rank)
(2,518; 839; 1,165; 60-$l)—"Boy on
Dplphin” (20th): Big $23,000. Last
week, "Heaven Knows, Mr. Alli¬
son” (20th) (4th wk), $16,000,
Century, Downtown, Glendale,
Midtown, Oakwood, Otfeon, Sear-
boro, State (Taylor) (1,358; 1,054;
995; 1,089; 1,393; 755; 694; 698; 50-
75)—"Tall T” (Col) and "Hold that
Hypnotist” (AA). Good $20,500.
Last week, "£ast of Badmen” (AA)
and "Great American Pastime”
(M-G), $17,000. ■'

Christie, Danforth, Humber, Hy¬
land (Rank) . (877; 1,330;, 1,203;

1,357; $1)—"Cinderella” (BV) (re¬
issue) (2d wk). Good $17,000. Last
week, $26,000.

Hollywood, Palace, Runnymede

(FP) (1,709; 1,486 ;1,385; 60-75)—
"Funny Face” (Par) (2d wk). Dip¬
ping to okay $13,000. Last week,
$28,000.

Imperial (FP) (3,344; 60-$1.10)—
"Spirit of St. Louis” (WB) (2d wk).
Oke $12,000. Last week. $17,500.

International (Taylor) (557; $1)—
"Green Man” (IFD) (6th wk). Fine
$4,000.' Last week, $4,500.

Loew’s (Loew) (2,096; 60-$l) —
"10,000 Bedrooms” (M-G) (2d wk).
Light $9,000. Last week, $13,000.

Tivoli (FP) (995; $1.50-$2)—"Ok¬
lahoma” (Magna) (53d wk). Fast
$9,500. Last week. .$13,500.

Towne Westwood (Taylor) (1,080;
994; $1)—■-"Baby. and Battleship”
(IFD) (3d wk). Big $8,000. Last
week, $4,500 for Towne only-.

: University (FP) (1,536; $1.75-
$2.50)—“10 Commandments” (Par)
(23d. wk). Off to $9,000. Last week,
$15,000.

Uptown (Loew) (2,098;. 75-$1.25)
—"Brave One” (RKO-U) (2d wkh
Nice $8,000. Last week, $12,000.

‘Party’ Rousing $15,000,
Denver; ‘Dolphin’ 11G, 2d

. Denver, April 30.

"Bachelor Party” is the lone
newcomer this stanza, and socko at
Paramount. It will hold. At all
other first-runs, pix are in second
weeks or/on longrun. Latter, of
course, is "10 Commandmerxts”
still fancy in 11th round at Den¬
ham* Best secondrweeker is "Boy
on Dolphin,” very strong at the .
Centre. "Spirit of St. Louis” also
is good in second week at the
Denver.

Estimates for This Week

Centre (Fox) (1,247; 70-$1.25)—
"Boy on Dolphin” (20th) (2d wk).
Good $11,000. Stays. Last week,
$ 21 , 000 .

Denham (Cockrill) (1,428; 90-
$2.20)—"10. Commandments” (Par)
filth wk). Fancy $12,000. Holding. ‘
Last week, $16,000. . ~

Denver (Fox) (2,525; 70-$1.25)—
"Spirit of St. Louis” (WB) (2d wk).
Good $10,500. Last week, $22,500.

Enquire (Fox) (742; 70-90)—

"Invitation To Dance” (M-G) (2d
wk). Good $2,800. Last week,
$3,000.

Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 70-90)—
“Funny Face” (Par) and "Tension
at Table Rock” (RKO) (2d wk).
Fair $7,000. Last week, $15,000.

Paramount (Wolfberg) (2,200;
70-90)—"Bachelor Party” (UA) and
"Big Boodle” (UA). Socko $15,000
or close. Stays on. Last week, "12
Angry Men” (UA) and "Fury at •
Showdown” (UA)^ $9,000.

‘Face’ Bright 17G,
Philly;‘Brave 7G

Philadelphia, April 30.

Mid-summer temperatures over
the past weekend Will slough* the
entire list this stanza. Only a few
of the smaller houses had air-con¬
ditioners working, which did not
make patrons happy. "Brave One,”
lone newcomer, is subsiding quiet¬
ly with next to nothing for .the
huge Mastbaum. "Funny Face” is
pacing the holdovers among the
regular-scale pix, with a bright
third stanza at the Viking. Also
in third -rounds, "Heaven Knows,
Mr. Allison” shapes okay as does
"Cinderella.”

Estimates for This Week

Arcadia (S&S) (526; 99-$1.80)—
"Rainmaker” (Par) (7th wk).
Parched $5,500. Last week, $7,000.

Boyd (SW - Cinerama) (1,430;
$1.25-$2.60) — "Seven Wonders of
World” (Cinerama) (53d wk). Per¬
ked to $8,000, nice. Last week,
$6,800.

Fox (20th) (2,250; 55-$1.80) —
"Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison”
(20th) (3d wk). Down to okay $13,-
000. Last week, $18,000.

Goldman (Goldman) (1,250; 65-
$1.35)—"Cinderella” (BV) (reissue)
(3d wk). Good $11,000. Last week,
$ 21 , 000 .

Green Hill (Serena) (750; 75-
$1.25) (closed Sundays)—"Colditz*
Story” (Indie) (2d wk)."' Good

$4,500., Last week, $3,000.

Mastbaum (SW) (4,370; 90-$1.50)
— "Brave One” (RKO-U). Sad
$7,000. Last . week, "Dakota In¬
cident” (Rep) plus Rock 'n* Roll
stageshow, $12,000 in 6 days.

Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; $'2-
$2.75)—“Around World in 80 Days”
(Continued on page 14)

‘Spirit* Hep$10,000, Mpk; ‘Dolphin’
ICG, ‘Wonders’ Great 12G, 38th

Minneapolis, April 30.

Despite "Spirit of St. Louis,”:
"Boy on.Dolphin,”‘"River’s Edge”
and "Tarzan and Lost Safari” as
newcomers, the Loop looks as* if
it's in for a comparatively tame
week. However, nearly all fresh
entries boast some boxoffice
strength. Because Lindbergh is a
Minnesotan by birth, "Spirit of St.
Louis” was given an elaborate
preem. It is good at Orpheum.

Warmer weather and daylight
savings hurt over weekend. In its
38th week, "Seven Wonders of
the World” still tops the city.
Other holdovers are "10 Com¬
mandments” in its 10th week, and
"Funny Face” in third. "Boy on
Dolphin” looks okay at Radio City.

Estimates for This Week

Century (SW-Cinerama) (1,150;
$1.75-$2.65> — “Seven Wonders of
World”' (Cinerama) (38th wk).
Nearly always grabs week’s biggest
gross. Showiiig terrific endurance.
Still big at, $12,000. Last week,
$17,300,

Gopher (Berger) (1,000;. 85-90)—
"Tarzan anjd, Lost Safari” (M-G).

Mild $3,800. Last week, "Voodoo
Woman” (AIP) and "The Undead”
(AIP), $4,600. .

Lyric (Par) (1,000; $1.25-$2.25)-
"10 Commandments” (Par) (10th
wk). Going along satisfactoritly.
Stout $7,500. Last week, $9,000.

Radio City (Par) (4,100; 85-90)—
"Boy oh Dolphin” (20th). Well-
liked picture hitting profitable
$10,000. Last week, "Designing
Woman” (M-G) (2d wk), $7,000. *

RKO Orpheum (RKO) (2,800;
75-90)—"Spirit of St. Louis” (WB).
Helped by great bally and Jimmy
Stewart’s cast presence. Good $10,-
000. Last week, "Cinderella” (BV)
(reissue"), $11,000.

RKO Pah (RKO) (1,800; 75-00)—
"Cinderella” (BV) (reissue) (m.o.).
Here after a initial stanza at Or¬
pheum. Virile $5,000. Last Week,
"Delinquents” (UA) and "Hit and
Run” (UA), $5,500.

State (Par) (2,300; 85-90)—"Riv¬
er's Edge” (20th). Light $5,000,
Last week, "Fear Strikes Out”
(Par), $7>000.-

World (Mann) (400; 85-$L25)—
"Funny Face” (Par) (3d wk). Sock
$4,000 in 6 day*. Last week, $5,700,

Del Soars; Tarty’

Cindy’ Solid 16G, ‘Dolphin UG, 2d

Key City Grosses

Estimated Total Gross

This Week ...$2,723,100

(Based on 22 cties and 245
theatres, c hiefty first runs, in¬
cluding N. Y.)

Total Gross Same Week

Last Year.$2,389,800

(Based on 23 cities and 238 -
theatres.)

‘Dress* Smart 7G,
Lville; ‘Spirit’ 9G

Louisville, April 30.

Current week, heading for a
high point Saturday (4) in running
of the Kentucky Derby, will see a
crescendo of entertainment events,
parades^ parties, etc. Film houses
stack up with two new bills at the
Kentucky, "Tattered Dress,” fancy,
and Loew’s With "12 Angry Men,”
very -light. "Spirit of St .Louis”
holding smash at the Mary Ander-
soik in second week. "Heaven
Knows, Mr. Allison” at Rialto is
also solid, at Rialto.

Estimates for This Week -
Brown (Fourth Ave.-UA) (1,000;
$1.25-$2)-— "10 Commandments”
(Par) (10th wk). Fair $4,500. Last
week, $6,000.

Kentucky (Switow) (1,000; 50-85)
—"Tattered Dress” (U). Fancy
$7,000 or near., Last week, "Funny
Face” (Par), $8,000.

Loew’s (United Artists) (3,000;
50-85)—"12 Angry Men” (UA).
Light $6,500. Last week, "Guns of
Ft. Petticoat” XCol) and "Hellcats
Of Navy” (Col), $4,200.

Mary Anderson (People’s) (1,000;
8541-25) — "Spirit of St. Louis”
(WB) (2d wk). Still town leader,
with host of visitors in town for
the races upping night biz. Looks
smash $9,000 after first week's
$17,000.

Rialto (Fourth Avenue) (3,000;
50-85)—"Heaven Knows, Mr. Alli¬
son” (20th) (2d wk). Solid $8,500
after firjst week’s $11,000.

K. C. Off; ‘Spirit’ Stout
$9,000,‘Cindy’ Okay 11G,
‘Night’ Fairish $7,000

\ Kansas City, April 30.
Biz is On a moderate kick this
week. "Cinderella” in moveover is
doing nicely in four Fox Midwest
houses while "Spirit of St. Louis”
is a strong newcomer at the Para¬
mount. "This Cpuld Be the Night”
at Midland is only fair. "10 Com¬
mandments” stacking^ up endur¬
ance records at Roxy. "Cinerama
Holiday” looms big at the Missouri
in eighth. Weather has been on
damp side.

Estimates for This Week
Dickinson, Glen, Shawnee Drive.*
in, Leawood Drive-in (Dickinson)
(750; 700; 1,100 cars, 900 cars; 75c
person)—"Five Steps to Danger”
(UA) and "Revolt Ft. Laramie”
(UA). Fair $6,000. Last week, "At¬
tack Crab Monsters” (AA) and
"Not This Earth” (AA)r $10,000.

Kimo (Dickinson) (504; 7540)—
"Great Man” (U) (2d wk). Nice
$1,800. Last week, $2,200.

Midland (Loew) (3,500; 60-80)—
"This Could Be Night” (M-G) and
"Beyond^ Reasonable Doubt”
(RKO). / Fair $7,000. Last week,
"12 Angry Men” (UA) and "Scan¬
dal, Inc.” „ (Rep), $5,000.

Missouri „ (SW-Cinerama) (1,194;
90-$2)—"Cinerama Holiday” (Cine¬
rama) (8th wk). Big $11,000; Holds.
Last week, same.

Paramount (UP) (1,900; 75-90)—
"Spirit of St. Louis” (WB). Lofty
$9,000, and may stay. Last week,
"Funny /Face” (Par) (2d wk),
$ 6 , 000 . /

Roxy (Durwood) (879; 90-$2J—
"10 Commandments” (Par) (11th
wk). Very durable at $8,000; Last
week, Easter holiday weekend
boosted gross to $9,000.

Tower, Uptbwn, Fairway, Gra¬
nada (Fox Midwest) (2,100; • 2,043;
700; 1,217; 75-90) — "Cinderella”
(BV) (reissue) and "Smiley” (Indie)
(m.o. after first week in Uptown
solo). Satisfactory $11,000. Last
weeTc, Uptown with “Cinderella”
$12,000, best in months at house.
Last week, Tower, Fairway, Gra¬
nada "Heaven Knows, Mr, Allison”
(20th) (2d wk), $12,000. •

/ Detroit, April 30
Biz is booming at the downtown
ers this week. Weekend rock v
roll at BroadWaY-Capitol boost*
"Fury at Showdown” to a terrific
total. "Bachelor Party” shapes
great at Palms. "Around World in
80 Days” coptUrtteS. smash in lath
week at the United Artists, "iq
C ommandments” is sock in 23d
week at Madison,. “Boy on D 0 h
phin” looks solid in second stanza
at the Fox. “Cinderella” is g 00 d
in second week at Michigan.

Estimates for This Week
Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000;- 9Q,-
$1.25)—"Boy on Dolphin” (20th)
and ."Affair in Retto” (Rep) (2d
wk). „&olid $17,000. Last week.
$24,000. *

Michigan (United Detroit) (*4,000’
90-$1.25)—"Cinderella” (BV) ( re !
issue) and "Dance With Me Henrv"
(AA) (2d wk).\ Good $16,000. Last
week ,$23,500.

Palms (UD) (2,961; 90-$1.25U
"Bachelor Party” (UA) and "Big
Caper” (UA). Great $20,000. Last
week, "Tattered Dress” (U) and
"Hell’s Crossroads” (Rep), $16,500
Madison (UD) Cl,900; $1.25-$2.75)
—"10 Commandments” (Par) (23d
wk). Swell $18,000. Last week,
$24,000. N

Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500'
90-$l,25) — "Fury at Showdown’ 1
(UA) plus WXYZ disc jockey
Mickey Shorr r&r stageshow week¬
end only with $1.80 scale. Terrific
$30,000. Last week, "Guns-of
Fort Petticoat” (Col) and "Sha¬
dow on Window”y(Col), $14,000.

United' Artists (UA) (1,668;
$1.25-$3)—"Around World” (UA)
(18th wk). Socko *$27,500. Last
week, $26,600.

Adams (Balaban) <1,700; 90*
$1.25)—"Designing Woman” (M-G)
(4th wk). Okay $9,000. Last week
$ 10 , 000 .

Music Hall. • (SW-C i n e r a m a)
(1,205; $1.50-$2.65)—"Seven Won¬
ders” (Cinerama) (46th wk). Wham
$17,700. Last week, $24,100.

Krim (Krim) (1,000; '$1.25)—
"Great Man” (U) and "Deep Blue
Sea” 20th) 4th wk). Oke $3,500,
Last week, $4,500.

‘Spirit’Bangup $17,000,
Frisco; ‘80 Days’ Wham
22G,‘Wonders’Huge 21G

San Francisco, April 30.
.Unseasonably warm weather.Is'
depressing the boxoffice here this
session although "Spirit of St.
Louis’' got away to a flying start
and some longrunners still are in
the chips. "Around World in 80
Days” is rated powerful in 18th
session at Coronet, while “Seven
Wonders of World” looms great in
23d stanza at Orpheum. "Boy On
Dolphin”, is okay in second round
at the Fox.

Estimates for This Week
Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859; 80-$l)
•"Girl ih Kremlin” (U) and
"Deadliest Sin” (AA). Lean $8,000.
Last week, “Kror.os” (Indie) and
"She-Devil” (Indie), $16,000. *

■Fox (FWC) (4,651; $1.25-$1.50)-r
"Boy- On Dolphin” (20th) and
"Smiley” (20th) (2d wk). Good $10,-
000. Last week, $18,000.

Warfield (Loew) (2,656; 65-90)-
"Tarzan and Lost Safari” (M-G).
Oke $l0,000"in 8 days. Last week,
"Designing Woman” (M-G) (3d wk),
$6,000 in 3 days.

Paramount (Par) (2,646; $1.25)-
■Spirit of St. Louis” (WB). Nice
$17,000. Last week, "Funny Face
(Par) and "Ride High Iron” (Col)
(2d,wit), $14,000.

St. Francis (Par) (1,400; $1-75*
$2.75)—"10 Commandments” (Pan
(10th wk). Okay $15,000. Last week,
$1.9,000. ‘ „ _

Orpheum (SW-Cinerama) (1,458,
$1.75-$2.65), — "Seven Wonders
(Cinerama) (23d wk). Great $21,000.
Last week, $28,200.

United Artists (No. Cohst) (1.20?!
70-$l)—"Bachelor Party” (UA) and
"Iron Sheriff” (UA) (2d wk). Off
to $7,000 or near in 6 days. Last
week, $12,000. ...

Stagedoor (A-R) (440; $1-2°'

$1.50)t—"G reat Man” (U) (6th wk)
and "Light Touch” (U) (3d wk). Big
$2,100. Last week, $2,500. .

Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1)"T
"Street of Shame” (Iridie) (5th wk).
Sock $3,200. Last week, $4.100.,,. ,
Clay ORosener) (400; $1)-— "!'
bert Schweitzer”. (Indie) (3d wk).
Big $4,200. Last week, $4,700. ..

Vogue (S.F. Thfe'atre) (364; $1.25'
—"Silent 'World” (Col) (3dL wk).
Smash $4,200.- Last week, $5,3W*
Bridge (SchWarz) (396; •

"Colditz Story” (DCA) (2d wk). 0«
to $1,500; Last week, $2,500. ,

- Coronet > (United California'
(1,250; $1.50-$3.75t> — “Arouiw

World” (UA)* (18th wk). Powell 1
$22,000. Last week, $30,000.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Chi Dips; 'Strange Moderate $12,000,
"Shrinking’ Sturdy 15G, ‘Face 20G,
BathHO.; ‘80 Days’ Wow 28G, 4th

Chicago, April 30'. 4-
Film biz here is passing the crest
of the post-Easter surge with hold¬
overs dominating; most Chicago
crreens. Major entry this week is
‘‘Strange Ont* at the State-Lake,
but it’s mild. $12,000. “For Whom
Bell Tolls" is being reissued at
Esquire for a very good $9,500.

‘‘Edge Of City" at Woods is solid .
while “Spirit of St. Louis" at Chi¬
cago looks modest in second ses¬
sions. “Shrinking Man" with “Last
of Badmen” marks up a sec¬
ond powerful frame at ROosevelt.
‘Tear Strikes Out" at Garrick
looks sadr . s

“Funny Face" shapes sock in
third week at United Artists, i
“Cinderella" at Loop is still fancy
in fourth week. Fourth frame
for “Around World in 80 Days
shapes capacity with four extra
matinees swelling total,

“Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
winds up with six. frames at the
Oriental to be followed tomorrow
(Wed.) by “Boy on Dolphin.”

“Seven - Wonders" at Palace is
looking up again in.its 19th frame, r
“10 Commandments" is maintain- I
ing a good tempo for 23d round 1
at McVickers. “Marcelino" .at I
the Ziegfeld is running as good as r
new in 10th frame. r

Estimates for This Week I
Carnegie (H&E Balaban) (480; s
95 )_Subsequent-run. Last week, 1
“Colditz Story" (DCA), $2,000. ‘ I
Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 90-$1.50) t
-“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB) (2d
wk). So-so $20,000. Last week,

$28,000. a

Esquire (H&E Balaban) ‘ (1,400; \
$1.25) — “For Whom Bell Tolls" J;
(Par) (reissue). Good $9,500. Last 1
week, subsequent-run. • •

Garrick (B&K) (850; 90-$1.25)—
“Fear Strikes Out" (Par) (2d wk). i
Sluggish $7,000. Last’week, $9,800. 1
Grand (Indie) (1,200; 90-$1.25)— X
“Gun for Coward" (U) and “Night
Runner" (U) (2d wk). Okay $4,000. «
Last week, $6,000. (

Loop (Telem’t) (606; 90-$1.25)—
“Cinderella" (BV) (reissue) (4th *
wk). Fancy $15,000. Last week,
$17,000.

McVickers (JL&S) (1,580; $1.25- ,
$3.30)—“10 Commahdments" (Par) ;
23d wk). Smash $31,000. Last *
week, $28,500.

Monroe (Indie) (1,000: 67-87)— ‘
“Angel of Darkness" (Globe) and (
“Scandal Inc." (Rep) (2d wk). Fair ]
$4,600. Last week, $7,000.

Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 90-$1.50) ;
—“Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison"

(Continued on page 14) 4

‘Designing’ Lively 29G,‘ 1

Hub; ‘80 Days’ Capacity '
28G,‘Party’Record 17G ;

Boston, April 30.
Holdovers dominate with only ,
one new entry this frame, “Hell- ,
cats of Navy," rated good, at the <
Pilgrim. “Around World In 8p
Days" leads town at Saxon in sec-
°nd week. “Bachelor Party" hit ’
new house record opening round at ,
the Kenmore. “Spirit of St. Louis" '
Is major disappointment at Met in
second. “Funny Face" is winning j
m combo at Paramount and Fen- •
way jn second week. “Designing -
Woman” at the State and Orpheum
was socko. “Boy *On Dolphin" ,
looms fancy in second at Memo¬
rial. ‘Seven Wonders of World"

S f . ast in its 36th round at the
Boston.

Estimates for This Week

Astor (B&Q) (1,372; $1.90-$2.75)
"7 /P Commandments" (Par) (24th
2' Fine $17,000: Last • week,

Hil1 (Beacon Hill) (678;;
D°-$l 25)—“Lady Chatterley’s Lov-
,«r (Indie) (6th wk). Oke $5,000. ;
Last week, $6,000

(SW-Cinerama) (1,354;
$1.25-$2.65) — “Seven Wonders"
(Cinerama) (36th wk). Good $18,-
000. Last week, $22,000.

Exeter (Indie) (1,200; 60-$1.25)— ,
W ee Qeordie" (Indie) (8th wk).
seventh week ended Saturday (27)
was oke $3,000.

. Fenway (NET) (1,373; 60-$1.10)—
rn l x?- n ? ^ ace ” (Par) and “Footsteps
Jn Night” (AA) (2d wk). Good $5,-
500. Last week, $8,000.

..Kenmore (Indie) (700;85-$1.25)—
Bachelor Party" (UA} (2d ' wk).
Ju st week ended Friday (26) was
record at terrific $17,000. .

. Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 80-90)—
pf oy On Dolphin" (20th) (2d wk).
^ $ 16 -000. Last week, $20,000.

. J roDolitin (NET) (4,357; 90-
foV 5 '^“Spirit of St, Louis" (WB)
d wl-) off to disappointing $12,-
‘‘ • • ^Rw^uuipd^ictni page 141 1 k i

Estimates Ate Net

Film gross estimates as re¬
ported* herewith from the vari¬
ous key cities, are net; i.e.,
without usual tax. Distrib¬
utors share on net take, when
playing • percentage,. hence, the
estimated figures are net in¬
come.

The parenthetic admission
prices, however; as indicated,
include the U. S. amusement
tax. ‘ • ^ ,

‘Face’ Slick 15G,
StL;‘10Cs’16G

St. Louis, April 30.
End of 14 days of intermittent
rain Monday (29) points up im¬
proved biz at mainstem houses
here in current session. “12 Angry
Men" looks fairly good in 10-day
run at Loew’S. “Funny Face" got
neat take in its week at the huge
Fox, and now moves to’the Mis¬
souri. “10 Commandments" looms
lusty in 10th session at the St.
Louis. “Cinderella" still is nice in
third round at Orpheum.

Estimates for This Week
Ambassador (SW-Cinerama) (1,-
400; $1.20-$2.40)—“Seven Wonders
of World”. (Cinerama) (54th wk).
Nice $6,000. Last week, $6,500.

Esquire (Indie) (1,400; 75-90)—
“Halliday Brand" (UA) and “Run¬
ning Target” (UA). Mild $4,000.
Last week, “Bundle of Joy" (RKO-
U) (3d wk), same. “

Fox (Arthur) (5,000; 75-90)—

“Bold One” (U) and “Night Falls”
(Cal). Opened today (Tues.). Last
week, “Funny Face" (Par) and
“Tall T” (Col), neat $15,000.

Loew’s (Loew) (3,221; 50-85)—
“12 Angry Men" (UA) and “Five
Steps to Danger" (UA), w Good $10,-
500 in 10 days.'

Missouri (Arthur) (3,500 50-95)—
“Funny Face" (Par) and “Tall T”
(Col) (m.o.). Opened today (Tues.).
Last week, “Heaven Knows, Mr.
Allison"* (20th) and “Spoilers, of
The Forest" (Rep), fair $5,000.

Orpheum (Loew) (1,914; 50-85)—
“Cinderella" (BV) (reissue) and
“Thunder Over Arizona” (Rep) (3d
wk). Good $7,500 following $8,000
in second. .

Pageant (St. L. Amus.) (1,000;
75-90) — “The Sorceress" (Indie).
Oke $2,000. Last week, “Inside
Girl’s Dormitory" (Indie) and “One
Step To Eternity" (Indie), $3,500.

Richmond (St. L. Amus.) (400;
65-90)—“Papa, Mama, Maid" (In¬
die)., Fast $3,000. Last week,
“Great Man" (U), $1,000.

St. Louis (Arthur) (4,000; $1.25-
’$2) — “10 Commandments" (Par)
(10th wk). Lusty $16,000. following
$20,000 in ninth.

Shady Oak (800; 75-90)—“Papa,
Mama, Maid" (Indie). Hot $3,500.
Last week, “Great Man" (4tji wk),
$ 2 , 000 .

‘DOLPHIN’ STOUT 16G,
WASH.;‘80 DAYS’25G

Washington, April 30.
Biz isrgenerally on downbeat this
week, with little new product to.
provide a boost. Mainstem new¬
comers are limited to “Bed of
Grass," Italian import, and “Guns
at Fort Petticoat.” Former is
strong at arty Plaza. “Spirit of St.
Louis" shapes okay for two spots
in second round. “Boy on Dolphin"
is big in second Capitol week.
“Around -World in 80 Days" and
“Seven Wonders of World" both
are great, “Cinderella" is rated fine
in second' Keith’s round. .
Estimates for This Week
Ambassador (SW) • (1,490; 90-

$1.25)—“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB)
(2d wk). Fair $6,500. Last week,
$ 9 , 000 .

Capitol (Loew) (3,434; 85-$1.25)
—“Boy on Dolphin" (20th) (2d wk).
Big $16,000. Stays on. • Last week,
$25,500.

. Metropolitan (SW) (1,100; 90-
$1.25)—“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB)
(2d wk). Lofty $12,000. L&st week,
$15,700.

Columbia (Loew) (1,174; 70-90)—
“Guns at Fort Petticoat" (Col).
Pleasing $8,000. Last week, eight
h -an (C.ontinued. ort page iL43

VARIETY

‘80 Days’Boff $12,500,
Seattle; ‘Holiday’ 13G

Seattle, April 30.

Town is loaded with holdovers
this round, and biz reflects lack of
new product. One of few new en-.
trants, “Oklahoman," looms slow
at Orpheum. “Cinerama Holiday"
is great in third Paramount week
while “Around World in 80 Days"
looms smash in second session at
the Blue Mouse. “Funny Face”
and “Spirit of- St.^Louis” are okay
in second weeks while “Boy on ,
Dolphin" looks nice in second at
Coliseum.

Estimates for This Week

Blue Mouse (Hamrick) (800;
$1.50-$2.50) — “Around World"
(UA) (2d wk). Great $12,500. Last
week, $13,400.

Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,870; 90-
$1.25)—“Boy on Dolphin" (20th)
and “Storm Rider" (20th) (2d wk).
Big $8,000. Last week, $11,700.

Fifth Avenue (Evergreen) (2,500;
$1.50-$2.30)—“10 Commandments"
(Par) (10th wk). Good $8,000 in
closing week. Last week, $9,300.

Music Box (Hamrick) (850; 90-
$1.25)—“Funny Face" (Par)> (2d
wk). . Okay $5,000, Last week,
$6,700.

Music Hall (Hamrick) (2,200; 90-
$1.25)—“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB)
(2d wk). Oke $6,500. Last week,
$8,700.

Orpheum (Hamrick) (2,700; 90-
$1.25) — “Oklahoman" (AA) and
“Strange Intruder" (AA). Slow
$6,000. Last week, “12 Angry Men".
(UA) and “Gun Man Down"' (UA),
$4,800.

Paramount (SW) U.282; $1.20-
$2.65) — “Cinerama Holiday" (In¬
die) (3d wk). Great $13,000 or near.
Last week, $13,600.

‘Spirit’Stalwart
$14,000 in Indpls.

Indianapolis, April 30.

Almost daily spring showers and
unseasonably hot weather have
dampened biz at first-runs here
this stanza, with results spotty.
However, “Spirit'* of St. Louis"
opened big at Indiana to lead city.
“10 Commandments has settled to
extent that early weekday matinees
have been dropped in 13th week at
Lyric, but its’ still solid. “Boy On
Dolphin" in second week at Circle
looms okay. “Zombies of Mora
Tau” at Loevv’s shapes mild.
Estimates for This Week

Circle (Cockrill-Dolle) (2,800; 60-
90)—“Boy on Dolphin". (20th) and
“Storm Rider" (20th) (2d wk).
Okay $6,500 after strong $11,000
opener.

Indiana (C-D) (3,200; 75-$1.25)—
“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB). Sock
$14,000; will hold. Last ^ eek *
“Cinderella" (BV) (reissue) and
“Yaqui Drums’; (AA) (2d wk),
$9,000.

Loew’s (Loew) (2,427; 60-85) —
“Zombies of Mora Tau"* (Col) and
“Man Turned To Stone) (Col). Mild
$5,500. Last week, “12 Angry Men"
(UA) and “Running Target" (UA),
$4,500.

Lyric (C-D) (900; $1.25-$2.20) —
“10 Commandments" (Par) (13th
wk). Solid $11,000. Last week,
$12,500.

H.0.S BOP BALTO BIZ
BUT ‘80 DAYS' BIG 12G

Baltimore, April 30.

Warmer weather and usual post-
Easter letdown at downtown houses
is making biz spotty. The Play¬
house, with “12 Angry Men," is
doing stronger business in second
stanza than in first. The major dis¬
appointment here is “Spirit of St.
Louis" at Stanley which may hay.e
been hurt by mixed reviews by crix,

: Champion longrims are “10 Com¬
mahdments’’ at the New and
“Around World in 80 Days" at
Film Centre.

Estimates for This Week

Century (Fruchtman) (3,100; 50-
$1.25)—“Cinderella” (BV) (reissue)
(2d wk). Nice $7,500 after $18,000
in first.

Cinema (Schwaber) (460; 50-

$1,25)—“Gold of Naples" (DCA)
(2d wk). Very goi>d $4,100 after
$3,500 opener.

Film Centre (Rappaport) (890;
$1.50-$2.»50) — “Around World”
(UA) (19th wk). Still great at $12,-
000 after $12,500 last week.

Five West (Schwaber) (460; 50-
$1.25)—“Brave One" (RKO-U) (2d
wk). Disappointing $2,300 after
$3,500 opener*

Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,100;
50-$1.25) — “Designing Woman"
(M-G) (2d wk). Good $8,500 after
$12,000 opener.

Mayfair (Hicks) (930; 50-$1.25)—
“Battle Hymn" (U) (4th wk). Hold-
LQojtf fowM* W J¥K e 14)

PICTURE GROSSES

B’way: Only ‘Face’ Wow 175G, ‘Party’
Big $27,000 Beat Post-Holiday Lull;
‘Boy’ 73G, ‘Fury’-Vaude 85G, ‘Ship’ 23G

With few new bills and post-
Easter holiday week influences
starting to be felt by all theatres
tfn Monday (29), Broadway deluxers
are mostly off from their boom
takes of the last session. First-
runs had the benefit of many out-
of-town visitors up until early
Sunday (28) afternoon. But after
about 3 p.m., business sagged at
many houses while Monday saw
the boxoffice on the skids. Exhibi¬
tors had to contend with ideal
summer weather over the past
weekend, it being one of few
summerlike two-day periods.

Still champ albeit off like all
others,-but from its record of the
previous week, “Funny Face" with
annual Easter stageshow is heading
for another-great take at the Music
Hall. In its fifth week, this combo
looks to hit $175,000 in session
wiuding up today (Wed.). Now will
hold two weeks longer. -

“Boy On Dolphin" with Louis
Armstrong combo heading the
stageshow like so many others is
down sharply in second week at
the Roxy with a big $73,000 in
prospect for stanza ending tomor¬
row (Thurs.). “Fury at Showdown,"
boosted by Rock-’n’-Roll stageshow,
wound its 10-day .run at the State
with a lusty $85,000, albeit con¬
siderably below hopes.

Best showing by a straight-film
aside from hard-ticket pix is being
made by “Bachelor Party," which
climbed’ to' a sock $27,000 in its
third stanza at the Victoria, top¬
ping previous week. “Abandon
Ship" was only fair $23,000 at the
Paramount in initial holdover
round. “Buster Keaton Story" is
sliding to a light $7,000, or there¬
abouts in second week at the May-
fair, and is coming out Friday.

“Strange One” is heading for an
okay $12,000 or less in third round
at the Astor. “12 Angry Men" is
very sluggish in third week of six
days at the Capitol and is being
replaced by “The Little Hut” on
Friday (3). “Living Idol" supplants
“Tarzan and Lost Safari" at the
Globe on the same day. “Tarzan"
looks fair $7,000 in current (3d)
frame.

“Seven Wonders of World," no\v
in its 56th session at the Warner,
soared to wham $52,600 in 55th
week, way ahead of preceding
round. “Around World in 80 Days”
hit a capacity $53„700 in 28th stanza
at the Rivoli. “10VCommandments"
looks, to land a great $50,000 in
current (25th) stanza at the Crite¬
rion.

Estimates for This Week

Astor (City Inv.) (1,300; 75-$2)—
“Strange One” (Col) (3d wk). Cur¬
rent round finishing tomorrow
(Thurs.) is heading for okay $12,-
000. Second week was $16,000.

Little Carnegie (L. Carnegie)
(550; $1.25-$1.80)—“Nana" (Times)
(3d wk). This t part weekend of
three days held at $7,200. Second
week was great $17,800. ■

Baronet (Reade) (430; $1.25-

$1.80) — “Carnival In Flanders”
(Indie) (reissue) (2d wk). First
stanza ended Saturday (27) was big
$ 6 , 000 .

Capitol (Loew) (4,820; $l-$2.50)
—“12 Angry Men" (UA) (3d-final
wjk). Current session winding to¬
morrow (Thurs.) looks to reach
mild $13,000 or near in 6 days.
Second was $25,000. “The Little
Hut” (M-G) opens Friday (3).

Criterion (Moss) (1,671; $1.80-
$3.30)— y 10 Commandments” (Par)
(25th wk). This session ending to-
morrow (Thurs.) looks to hit great
$50,000 for 15 shows. The 24th
week, for 20 shows, was $67,2Qp, -
way over expectancy. The current
week had three capacity days
through last Sunday (28).

Fine Arts (Davis) (468; 90-$1.80)
—“Lost Continent" (Lopert) (8th
wk). Seventh week ended Sunday
(28) was big $9,500. Sixth was
$10,100*

Fifth Avenue Cinema (R&B)
.(249; 95-$1.50) — “Naked Eye"

(Film Reps) (2d wk). Initial ses¬
sion completed Saturday night (27)
soared to $7,300, alltime high for
30-year operation of house. Got in
six shows daily to make this phe¬
nomenal figure possible.

55th ,St. Playhouse (E-F) <300;
$1.25-$1.50)—“On the Bowery” (In-
ie) (7th wk). Sixth round ended
Sunday (28) was fair $2,500 after
$3,000 for fifth. “Winner’s Circle"
(J£nus) opens Saturday (4).

Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50)
—“Tarzan and Lost Safari" (M-G)
(3d-final wk). This frame ending
tomorrow (Thurs.) looks like fair
$7,000 for eight days. “Living
Idol" (M-G) opens Friday (3). Sec¬
ond week was $11,000.

Guild (Guild) (450; J $1^1.75’)^-

“Young Stranger" (RKO-U) (4th
wk). Third frame ended Sunday
(28) held with sturdy $7,500. Sec¬
ond was $10,500. “John and Julie"
(DCA) opens May 6.

Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 79-

$1.80) —■ “Buster Keaton Story’*
(Par) (2d-final wk). Current ses¬
sion ending Friday (3) looks like
light $7,000. First was only $12,-
000. “Dragoon Wells Massacre"
(AA) opens Saturday (4).

Normandie (Trans-Lux) (592; 95-
$1.80)—“If All the Guys" tBV) (2d
wk). First week concluded Sunday
(5) hit fair $5,000. In ahead, “Cin¬
derella’’, (BV) (reissue) (9th wk-4
days), $4,000 to wind an linusually
big longrun for an oldie. “For;
Whom Bell Tolls” (Par) (reissue)
opens here next week.

Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,665; $1-
$2)—“Abandon Ship" (Col) (3d-
final wk). Second week ended last
night (Tues.) was fair $23,000 or
close. First was $31,000. “Way To
the Gold" (20th) is due in next.

Paris (Pathe. Cinema) (568; 90-
$1.80)—“Gold of Naples" (DCA)
(12th wk). The 11th stanza com¬
pleted Sunday (28) was big $9,500,
The 10th week was $9,200.

Radio City Music Hall (Rocke¬
fellers) (6,200; 95-$2.85)—“Funny
Face" (Par) with Easter stageshow
(5th wk). Current session winding
up today (Wed.) including about
half of Easter week looks to reach
wow $175,000. Fourth week was
record $214,777, beating old! mark
of $210,038 registered by “Teahouse
of August Moon” (M-G) in New
Year’s week ended last Jan. 2.
Current show had no holiday scales
sud? as on “Moon.” “Face" holds
a sixth, and “Designing Woman"
(M-G) is not due until May 16.

Rivoli (UAT) (1,545; '$1.25-$3.50)
—“Around World” (UA) (29th
wk). The 28th round ended last
night (Tues.) was'capacity $53,700
for 16 shows. The 27th .week was
likewise capacity at $57,300 for 17
performances. Stays. on indef.

Plaza (Brecher) (525; $1.50-$2)—•
“Lust For Life" (M-G) (33d' wk).
The'32d stanza ended Monday (29)
held with smash $9,000. The 31st
week was $9,500. Stqys. on. '

Roxy (Nat’l. Th.) (5,717; $1.25-
$2.50)—“Boy on Dolphin" (20th)
with Louis.Armstrong comibo head¬
ing stageshow (2d wk). Current
session finishing tomorrow (Thurs.)
looks like big $73,000 or close.'
First week hit $132,000. Stays third
round plus five days, according to
present plans. “Desk Set" (20th)
is due in next.

State (Loew) (3,450; 78-$1.75)—
“Ride Back" (UA). Opened Mon¬
day (29). In ahead, “Fury at Show¬
down" (UA) with Rock *n’ Roll
vaude show onstage, hit lusty $85,-
000 in 10 days. 3

Sutton (R&B) (561; 95-&1.75)—
“Reach For Bky" (U) ; Opened
yesterday (Tues.). In ahead,-“Great
Man" (U) (17th wk-6 days), fair
$4,700 after $6,000 for 16th full
week, and to wind a very nice run.
One benefit showing and one in-
vitatipnal preview of “Sky" . was
held Monday (29).

Trans-Lux 5M St. (T-L) (540; $1-
$1.50) — “La Strada" (T-L) (42d
(Continued on page 14)

‘Spirit’ High $10,000 In
Proy.; ‘Woman’ Good 13G,
‘IOC’s’Smash 20G, 2d

Providence, April 30.

*‘10 Commandments" in second
Strand round is again topper with
terrific take. State’s “Designing
Woman" is rated good. RKO Al-
bee’s second session of “Cinder*
ella" looms hotsy. “Spirit of St.
Louis" shapes as top newcomer,
with solid session at Majestic.
Estimates for This Week

Albee (RKO) (2,200; 65-80) —
'“Cinderella" (BV) (reissue) (2d
wk). Hot $10,000. First week,
$14,000.

Majestic (S-W) (2,200; 65-80)—
“Spirit of St. Louis" (WB). Solid
$10,000. Last week, “Boy on Dol¬
phin" (20th) and “Pearls of Pacific’*
(20th), same. v .

State (Loew) (3,200; 65-80)—“De¬
signing Woman" (M-G) and “Affair
In Reno” (UA). Good $13,000. Last
week “Tarzan and Lost Safari"
(M-GL and “Spoilers of Forest”
(Repf $10,000.

Strand (Silverman) (2,200; $1.50-
$2) — “10 Commandments" (Par)
(2d wk). Still strong at $20,000.
First session surprised by holdinf
steady throughout week for aocl
$ 22 , 000 ; ; * 4

10

PICTURES

PfiRlEff

Wectnesday, May 1, 1957

Hollywood Production Pulse

ALLIED ARTISTS

Starts, This Year ......... 6

This Date, Last Year . 10

"NO PLACE TO DIE"

(CB Pictures)

Prod.—Carl K. Hittleman
Dir.—Sidney Franklin Jr.

Sterling Hayden, Pamela Duncan, Mary
• Beth Hughes
. (Started April 25)

COLUMBIA

I Starts, This Year... . 10

This Date, Last Year.......6

"THE LONG HAUL"

(Marksman Films)

(Shooting in England)

Prod.—Maxwell Setton
Dir:—Ken Hughes

' Victor Mature, Diana Dors, Peter Rey¬
nolds, Patrick .Allen, Liam Redmond,
■Gene Anderson
.. (Started Feb. 18)

"BITTER VICTORY"

(Transcontinental Films)

(Shooting in Nice, France)

Prod.—Paul Graetz
Dir,—Nicholas Ray

Richard. Burton, Kurd Jergens, Ray¬
mond Pellegrm,. Sean Kelly, Chris¬
topher Lee, Andrew Crawford, Sum-
net Williams, Ronan O’Casey, Nigel
Green, Harry Landis, Fred Matter
. (Started Feb., 18)

"OPERATION MAD BALL"

Prod.—Jed Harris

Dir.—Richard Quine

Jack Lemmon, Kathryn Grant, Mickey

g oo'ney, Arthur O’Connell, . Ernie
ovacs, Dick York, William Hickey,
Mary LaRoche, L. Q. Jones, Roger
Smith, James Darren, Sheridan
Coraerate, Eddie Ryder, William
Pierson, Paul Picerni, Frarik Moore
Four, Dick Crockett, Joey Forman,
Werner Reichold, Hans Cervinka,
Albert Godderis
(Started March 25)

"HIGH FLIGHT"

(Warwick Production)

(Shooting in England)

Prods.—Irving Allen, A. R. Broccoli
Dir.—John Gilling

Ray Milland, Sean Kelly, Anthony New-
ley, Kenneth Fortescue, Kenneth
Haight

(Started April 2)

"PAL JOEY"

(Essex-Sidney Productions)

(Shooting in San Francisco) -
Pro.—Fred Kohlmar- •

Dir.—George Sidney
Rita Haywbrth, Frank Sinatra, Kim
Novak, Bobby Sherwood, Hank Henry,
Verna Felton, Barbara Nichols, Bek'
Nelson, Ellie Kent, Mara McAfee,
Betty Vitti, Tol-Avery, Everett Glass,
Barry. Bernard, Robin Morse, Bob
Anderson, Syd Chatton, Eddie Bartell
(Started April IS) _ -

WALT DISNEY

Starts, This Year . 1

This Date, Last Year. ..... 7

"OLD YELLER"

(Buena Vista Release) »

Prod.—Walt Disney

Dir.'—Robert Stevenson ,

Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Jeff
York, Tommy'Kirk, Kevin Corcoran
(Started Jan. 28)

METRO

[ Starts, This Year . 6

This Date, Last Year: .70

"LES GIRLS"

Prod.i—Sol C. Siegel
Dir.—George Cukor
Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall,
Taina Elg, Jacques Bergerac, Leslie
Phillips

(Started Jan. 3)

"UNTIL THEY SAIL"

Prod.—Charles Schnee
Dir.—Robert Wise

Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Paul
Newman, Piper Laurie, Sandra Dee
(Started March 14)

"CAPTAIN DREYFUS"

(Shooting in England)

Prod.—Sam Zimbalist
Dir.-^ose Ferrer '

Jose' Ferrer, Vlvecd yndfors, Leo
Gwenn,.Emlyn Williams. David Far-
rer, Anton Walbrook,. Donald Wolfit
(Started March 27)

PARAMOUNT

Starts,This Year . 6

This Date, Last Year. .7

"SAD SACK'V
Prod.—Hal Wallis
Dir.—George. Marshall
Jerry Lewis, Phyllis Kirk, David Wayne,
Joe Mantell, Liliane- Montevecchl,
Peter .Lorre, Gene Evans
(Started March 18) .

"TEACHER'S PET"

Prod.—William Perlberg
Dir.—George Seaton
Clark Gable, Doris Day, Gig Young,
Mamie Van Doren, • Vivian Nathan,
Nick Adams, Marion Ross
(StaYted April 17)

20th CENTURY-FOX

[ Starts, This Year. . 15

This Date, Last Year .7

"THE! SUN ALSO RISES"

(Shooting in Mexico)

Prod.—Darryl F. Zanuck
Dir.—Henry King

Ava Gardner, Tyrone Power, Mel Fer-
« rer, - Errol Flynn, Eddie Albert, Rob¬
ert Evans
(Started March 18)

"WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?"

Prod.-Dir.—Frank Tashlin
Jayne Mansfield, Tony Randall, Betsy
Drake, Joan Blondell, John William*
Llli Gentle. Rachel Stephens, Henry
Jones, Mickey Hargitay, Patricia Pow¬
ell, Ann McCrea, Lida Piazza, Judy
Busbh

(Started March 19)

"A FAREWELL TO ARMS"

(Shooting in Italy)

Prod.—David O. Selznick

Dir.—Charles Vidor

Jennifer Jones, Rock Hudson, Vittorio
de Sica, Kurt Kasznar, Alberto Sordi
(Started March '25)

'DOWN PAYMENT"

Prod.—Jerry Wald
Dir.—Martin Rltt

Jeffrey Hunter, Sheree North, Joanne
Woodward, Barbara. Rush, Cameron
Mitchell, Tony Randall, Patricia
Owens, Pat Hingle, Charles Herbert
(Started April 15)

'KISS THEM FOR ME"

Prod.—Jerry Wald
Dir.—Stanley Donen
Cary. Grant, Jayne Mansfield, Suzy
Parker, Larry Blyden
(Started April 29)

'STOPOVER TOKYO"

Prod,—Walter Reisch
Dir.—Richard Breen
Robert Wagner, Edmond O’Brien, Ken
Scott, Larry Keating
(Started April 29)

'PEYTON PLACE"

Pr&d.—Jerry Wald
Dir.—Mark Robson

Lana Turner, Lloyd Nolan, Lee Philips
(Started April 29)

UNIVERSAL

Starts, This Year ,.70

This Date, Last Year. ..... 9

’.THE MAN WHO. ROCKED THE BOAT"

Prod.—Albert Zugsmith
Dir.—Arnold Laven — 7

Richard Egan, »Jan Sterling, Julie
Adams, Charles McGraw, Walter
Matthau, Dan Duryea, Sam Levene,
Mickey- 'Shaiighnessy, Mickey Hargi¬
tay, Harry Believer
(Started April 15)

'THE LADY TAKES A FLYER"

Prod.—William AUand
Dir.—Jack Arnold

Lana Turner, Jeff Chandler, Richard
Denning, Andra Martin
(Started April 15)

WARNER BROS.

Starts, This Year.... ..7

This Date, Last. Year...... 4

'DARBY'S RANGERS"

Prod.—Martin Rackin
Dir—William A. Wellman
Chirlton Heston, Etchika Choureau,
James Garner, Jack Warden, Dennis
Hopper, Murray Hamilton, Joanna
Barnes, Venetia Stevenson, Reginald
Owen, Frieda Inescort
(Started April 22)

INDEPENDENT

Starts, This Year .45

This Date, Last Year . 27

'THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI"

(Columbia Release)

(Horizon-American Prods.)

(Shooting in Ceylon)

Prod.—Sam Spiegel
Dir.—David Lean

William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack
Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James
Donald, John Boxei
(Started Oct. 1)

"THIS BITTER EARTH"

(Dino De Laurentiis Productions)

(For Columbia Release)

(Shooting*in Rome) .

Prod.—Dino De Laurentiis
Dir,—Rene Clement

Silvana Mangano, Richard Conte, An¬
thony Perkins, Jo Van Fleet, AJida
Valli, Nehemiah Perjsoff, Ruth Storey
(Started Jan. 7)
the QUIET AMERICAN"

(Figaro Production)

(For UA Release)

(Shooting in Saigon)

Prod.-Dir.—Joseph L. Mahkiewlcz
Audie Murphy, Michael Redgrave,
Claude Daukhin, Glorgia Moll, Bruce
Cabot, Richard Loo, Fred Sadoff,
Peter Trent, Frank Colson
(Started Jan. 21)

"THE DREAM MACHINE"

(Amalgamated Productionls)

(Shooting in London)

Prods.—Richard Gordon, Charles Vet¬
ter, Jr.

Dir—Montgomery Tully
Rod Cameron, . Mary Murphy, Peter
Tiling

(Started March 18)

PATHS OF GLORY"

(Bryna Productions! ■ >

(For UA Release)

(Shooting in Germany)

Prod.—James B. Harris
Dir.—Stanley Kubrick
Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolph
Menjou, George Macready, Wayne
Morris, Richard Anderson, Timothy
Carey

(Started March 18)

"TIME LIMIT" ~

(Heath Productions)

(For UA' Release)

Exec. Prod—Richard Widmalk
Pro.—William Reynolds
Dir—Karl Malden

Richard Widmark, Richard Basehart,
D.oferes Michaels, June Lockhart, Rip
Torn, Martin Balsam, Carl Benton
Reid

(Started April 3)

"WOMAN WITH A WHIP"

(Globe Enterprises)

(For „20th-F v Release)

■Prod.-Dir.— S amuel Fuller
1 Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan,
Dean Jagger, John Ericson, Gene
Barry, Robert Dix. Ziva-Ro-Dann,
Gerald Milton, Paul Dubov, Hank
Worden, Jack. Carroll, Eve Brent,
Sandra Wirth, Chuck Roberson,
Chuck Hayward
(Started April 15)

"PARIS HOLIDAY"

(Tolda Productions) .

(For UA Release)

(Shooting in Paris)

Dir.—Gerd Oswald

Bob Hope, Fernandel, Anita Ekberg
Martha Hycr
(Started April 15)

"WHEN HELL BROKE LOOSE"

(Dolw.orth Productions)

(Motion Picture Center)

Exec. Prod.—Paul P. Schrelbman
- Prod.—Sol Dolgin
Dir.—Kenneth G. Crane
Charles Bronson, Richard Jaeckel, Vio¬
letta Renslng
(Started April 26)

"KILLER ON TH£ WALL"

(Maxim Productions for-UA Release)
Prods.—Albert Bahdi Louis Garfinkle
Dir.—Albert Band
Richard. Boone
(Started April 29)

JACQUES FLAUD HAILS
FRANCO-JAP‘ROMANCE’

By DAVID M. JAMPEL

Tokyo, April 30.

In recent years the sympathies
of the Japanese people seem to
have fallen in step with those of
France. The appeal of French lit¬
erature, music, fashions and mo¬
tion pictures here has annexed
Japan as a cultural colony of
France. . . * ■ - '

• The signs of this affinity' were
strengthened by the comments of
visiting Jacques Flaud, general
manager , of the semi-governmental
National'.Alter’;df Frenbh Films.

After establishing the fact that
Japan is the best market for
French motion pictures outside of
Europe (with Canada and Mexico
following), Flaud Said that he was
told of the Franco-Japanese ro¬
mance immediately after his ar¬
rival.

He said he was told that Japa¬
nese always have had a feeling for
a European country. First it was
Great Britain, then Germany and
now France..

Unlike the U. S. where French
pictures are almost always rele¬
gated to the art houses, French
films play first-runs and regular
"Circuits in Japan.

Continuing to probe for an ex¬
planation, Flaud said that filmiza-
tions of classic French novels are.
successful here because the Japa¬
nese -have a firm.grasp of the works
of Zola and others of France’s 19th
Century literature. As for the other
types of films, he attributed suc¬
cess in Japan to the searching na¬
ture of Japanese youth.

A potential problem is the bug
that is causing furrows in the
brows of U. S. reps here—that is
the Japanese Finance Ministry’s
restriction of 16 prints per fea¬
ture on imported product. Flaud
said, “We think this is not many,
but we do not suffer as the Ameri¬
can companies because this only
affects foreign films that are re¬
leased here on a percentage basis.
French pictures, being sold out¬
right, are not affected. But we
think that the limitation is a dan¬
ger because we may decide to sell
on a percentage basis in the future.
It is the only limitation of its kind
I know of in the world. It might
be setting a dangerous precedent
for others.**

Flaud explained why French
producers are the only ones to
sell almost all of their product on
arf outright basis. “There are two
reasons,” he said. “One is that
they think they will make more
money with this kind of a bet. An¬
other is that they Want to have
their money, more rapidly than
waiting for percentage returns.
They need money to shoot other
pictures as banking is not as vital
to the French film industry as- it
is in Hollywood.”

Flaud, however, disagreed with
this policy. He said, “I think it
is a danger. It is not good to be
too much in a hurry and found
an industry on a gamble. But I
recognize that it would be very dif-,
ficult to change their minds.”

France is selling an increasing
number of films to Red China, but
he : didn’t know the receipts be¬
cause he has. no control over the
records. He said sales of French
product to Maoland last year to¬
taled $15,000.

Asked if the international label
of “sexy” for French pictures is
justified, Flaud answered, “I think
this reputation is less and less jus¬
tified because the big hits Of
French motion pictures have not
been the sexy ones.. I think this
reputation was perhaps justified 10
years ago,”

'NAKED EYE' COPS $7,300

Ruffoff & Becker May Make * 1st
Run Out of 5th Ave. Cinema

With the N. Y» Sutton Theatre
playing Rank product starting to¬
day (Wed.), there is a % chance that
Ru|bff & Becker may make the
Fifth Avenue Cinema a steady first-
run. It has launched such policy
with the release of “Naked Eye,”
which hit a record $7,300 opening
week, an amazing figure for this
249-seat house.

Such money only has been made
possible (Easter week) by running
six shows daily. “Eye” started its
second session Suhday (28).

Sid Zins in Norfolk, Va. to bally¬
hoo Columbia’s “Hellcats of the
Navy” got dreamy cooperation front
jewelry store, Schneer’s, full win¬
dows, etc, Reason: proprietor is
dad of the film’s producer, Charles
H, Schneer.

1957

High Low

For Week Ending Tuesday (30)

N. Y, Stock Exchange

Weekly Vol, Weekly Weekly Tues.

lnlOOs

High

Low ~

Close

247/8

203/8.

Am Br-Par Th

208

24

23

23%

357/8

29%

CBS “A”

131

.35%

33

34

35%

29%

CBS “B” ....

75

34%

323%

33% ‘

18%

17

Col Pix-.

15

173%

17%

173%

16Vs

133%

Decca ..

166

16%

153%

IBVi

96%

813%

Eastman Kdk,

121

96%

923%.

95 %

4%

3%

EMI ..

74

4

37%.

37 %

9

7%

List Ind. ....

97

8%

7%

8%

22

18%

Loew’s .

189

19%

183%

183%

' 9Vs

8

Nat. Thea. ..

142

8%

8%

8%

36

28%

Paramount ..

61

34%

33%

83%

18%

14%

Philco ......

112

i7%

16%

17

37%

31%

RCA .

232

37%

.36%

36%

7%

5%

Republic ....

267

7%

6%

7%

13%

11%

Rep., pfd. ,..

15

13%

12%

12%

17%

14%

Stanley War.

63

163%

15%

15.%. .

29%

25%

Storer .

66

29%

27%

27%

' 27%

22%

20th-Fox ....

192

27%

253%

27

253/a

22

Univ. Pix ...

9

25

243%

25

71%

69

Univ., pfd. .. 1

*160

69%

687%

69

287/s

22%

Warner Bros..

50

24%

23%

24%

121%

91%

Zenith .

67

116%

110%

110%

Net

Change
for 2 wks,

+ %

— 34

1/4

+ %

+ %

+ %
— Vs
' + %

— %

+ Vs

' — Va
+ Va
— 7/ a

+ %

+ Va
— Va
—1%

+ 56

+ %
—2V 4

American Stock Exchange

• 4%

3%*

Allied Artists

45

3%

3%

3%

+ %

11

83%

Ail’d Art., pfd

2

83%.

83%

83%

— 3 A

. 453%

32%

Assa. Artists.

21

43%

41%

41%

—2

1%

13/16 C & C Super.

469

1 '

%

7%

-f 1/16

6%

• 4%

DuMont Lab.

85

5%

5

. 5

— 3 %

• 4%

2%

Guild Films

200 ‘

' 3%”

3%

3%

+ %

93%

7%

Nafl Telefilm

61

8%

8%

8%

+ Vs

. 53%

3%

Sklatron.....

172

53%

47%

5%

•f Vs

83%

6%

Technicolor .

64

7%

67%

6%

— %

57%

37%

Trans-Lux ..

8

5%

5%

5%

Over-the-Counter Securities
l

Ampex ........'.. 40

Chesapeake Industries.^.... i<_

Cinerama Inc. ..... 1 %

Cinerama Prod. . 2%

DuMont Broadcasting.. .8%

Hlagna Theatres . 1%

Official Films. 1 %

Polaroid '...149

U. A. Theatres .....

Walt Disney . 23%

Bid

Ask

40

44

_

17%

2%

+ Vs

1%

- 17%

2%

23%

—

.8%

87%

— Vs '

17%

2%

. 1%

2

— %

149

155%

+ 10%

5%

• 57%

23% .

25%

+ 1%

* Actual Volurhe.

(Quotations furnished by Dreyfus & Co.)

Berger House Managers
Explain to Public Why
‘Giant’-Isn’t Scheduled

Minneapolis, April 30.

Warner Bros, apparently was un¬
moved by North Central Allied’s
violent denunciation of. it at the
recent convention here because of
its 60% and no review terms for
“Giant” in this territory’s smaller
situations.

‘ At any rate, the deal hasn’t been
altered. 'The deal remains the
same.

As a consequence, Rennie Berger,
former NCA president, who is be-
-|4ieved responsible for the resolu¬
tion vigorously condemning War¬
ner Bros.—it was adopted unani¬
mously—says hd still is refusing
to buy the picture for his five,
small-town situations.

Berger says he knows a number
of other sjnall-town exhibitors who
also still will not play “Giant” at
the demanded terms because, con¬
sidering their grossing potentiali¬
ties, they figure they can’t make a
profit and might suffer a loss.

He admits that there’s a clamor
for the picture in his towns and
that there’s local resentment be¬
cause of his failure to show it. His
managers keep busy, he says, ex¬
plaining the reason, for such fail¬
ure.

$75,000 Judgment Upheld
For Ronald Colman Job

Los Angeles, April 30.

California District Court of Ap¬
peal has upheld a judgment of
$75,000 against Yoland Productions
and Cardinal Pictures, covering the
salary of Ronald Colman for the
film “Champagne for ■ Caesar.”
Judgment was awarded C. Fanning,
Colman’s-assignee. .

Superior Court liuled that the
film firms were liable for the
money under the terms of a cpn-
tract Colman had with Yoland call¬
ing for 10% of the gross after the
producer deceived $500,000 with
the actor to receive a minimum of
$100,000 under any circumstances.
Youand assighed the rights to Car¬
dinal before the film was made
and Colmart was paid $25,000 but
did not receive the remainder.

Shoot Features
Two Together

Hollywood, April 30.

Indie producer Roger Corman
will henceforth shoot pix in pairs
as a means vt reducing production
costs. “Back to back” policy will
enable him to hold production
crews together well as lowering
such fixed costs as equipment ren-
tals, transportation,, etc.

At least half of hfs 10-12 pic pro*
gram for 1957-58 be on location,
to take advantage' of production
values of scenic backgrounds.

DIXIE DIG AT PIX
WITH‘SOCIAL MIXING’

Birmingham, April 30.-
The Montgomery City White Cit¬
izens Council has asked the City
Commission to halt showing of such
films as “Island In The Sun” and
“Edge of the City.”

The council charged the films
feature inter-racial scenes and
“promiscuous social mixing” of
races. ’The council charged these
films are aimed to promote inte¬
gration.

HESTON SUES WARNERS

Actor Says Oral Promise Not
Reflected In Written Contract

Los Angeles, April 30.

Charging discrepancies between
an agfeed-upon oral contract and t
the terms of a final written agree¬
ment, Charlton Heston exited the
star role in Warner’s “Darby’s
Rangers” and promptly filed a
$250,000 breach of contract suit
against the studio. Heston’s Su¬
perior Court suit preceded by a few
hours a studio statement that his
role Would be taken over by WB
contractee James Garner, previ¬
ously slated for a lesser part in the
Martin Rackin production;

Heston's lawsuit contended that
thefe weire substantial difference
on vital and major points between
the oral agreement and the ac¬
tual contract submitted to him for
signature. -When he refused to
sign, Heston added, the studio with¬
drew its offer l and said'it would not
be utilizing his services in the film.

'VAmrrv'*' London offic* *

I Ih MUHlMVrUc*, Trafalgar »guiri

USrieFy

INTERNATIONAL

11

V° from ’55; Partly Blame Com! TV

London, April 23.

A 81 000,000 drop in cinema ad¬
missions during 1956 as. compared
with the previous year was re¬
ported by the Board of Trade here.
Admissions- totalled 1,101,000,000
nr 7% less than 1955, but a con¬
tributory factor was the shutter¬
ing of 185 theatres,, representing
about 3% of the total seating ca¬
pacity available at the beginning
of the year.

Downtrend continued through¬
out the year, and in the last quar¬
ter admissions were 17% less than
coiTesponding period in 1955.
Grosses were down by 16% and
well above the norirtal seasonal de¬
crease.

The decline, compared with the
same period of 1955, in the Mid¬
lands and North Western areas,
was well above the national aver¬
age. It is believed that this can
be attributed to the introduction
of commercial tv.

Higher admission prices, installed
in June, however, maintained gross
boxoffice takings in the fourth
quarter of the year at $67,555,600.
This was only 4% lower than com¬
parable quarter in ttie previous
year.

Santiago Slow Biz Does
A Foldo .as 1-Cent Hike
On Buses Chills Chileans

Santiago, April 23.

It was truly *‘The Lost Week”
for film and legit houses, niteries,
racetracks, as well as business in
general, due to violent incidents
arising from student protests
against hikes in bus fares. Chile
has been suffering from a severe
inflation and the remonstrances
against increases' in charges for
public transportation kicked ’ the
lid off the kettle.

Buses were getting’ 10 pesos or
less than 2c U.S. ,*The increase
brought the price up to 15 pesos
Dr less than 3c.’ The jump, which
may seem tiny to outsiders, was
enough to make students take to
the streets in demonstrations which
developed into general stoning of
buses. But this got out of hand
when extremists and toughs moved
in and used it for their own objec¬
tives. x

All business began pulling down
the shutters, so characteristic of
Latin America, at beginning of the
week. Violence reached its, peak
on the afternoon and, evening of
“Black Tuesday” and “B lack
Wednesday,” mobs destroying
street lampposts and traffic signals
and in the resultant blackout
sacked various gun shops and
stores in the central business dis¬
trict.

Military moved in with the dec¬
laration of a state 'of siege and
ordered theatres, night clubs, bars
and liquor stores to stay closed
‘ further orders. No damage to
theatres was reported. Complete
tranquility without further inci-
I dents was finally restored,
i Municipal authorities estimated
damages to city property such as
f tQ ued and burned buses, smashed
traffic lights, bent and broken light
Posts, etc., at some $250,000.
Businessmen's association calcu¬
late their direct and indirect losses
ln the millions.

Second Duteh'Filmweek

Amsterdam, April 23.

New Dutch feature film, “De
Vliegende Hollander” (The Flying
Dutchman), biopic of air pioneer
Anthony Fokker,. now in produc¬
tion, will be preemed sometime in
The Hague, during the Filmweek.
The Filmweek is not a film fest,
but will show the bept^bntries of
Cannes film Festival, together with
preems of Dutch documentaries
and pre-releases of selected foreign
pix.

This is. the second Filmweek to
be organized. The first was held
in 1955 in Arnhem. This year,
however, the 'Arnhem City Board
made objections to costs. Choice
city is now The Hague, with the
Metropole Theatre as the house to
be used. • ^

More Controls
Loom in Italy

, Rome, April 23.

Self-censorship of pic posters in
Italy is a future possibility in this
country. ANICA, Italo producers
association, is said to be consider¬
ing a policing office which would
pass on film posters before posted.
Move follows recent incidents in¬
volving ads and posters for.“Zarak
IChan,” “Miss Spogliarello” and
“Poveri Ma Belli,” all of which
were seized by the police.

U. S. distnbs here are looking
askance at the potential censorship
setup as an-addition to their pres¬
ent woes. For one thing, the office
is sure to demand more fees per
picture for the “service.” “ Also,
it means more time lost before ap¬
proval and release. It is also pos¬
sible that art ideas could.be copied.

Not the smallest, factor is the
fact that the office of poster cen¬
sorship gives the Italians another
harassing weapon, via potential de¬
laying tactics, in their current bat¬
tle for. more concessions from
Americans. .

• Same threat holds via another
new Italo gimpaick, yet to be an¬
nounced, pre-censorship of pic
titles. Ostensibly, RKO’s “Loves
of a Scoundrel,” retitled “Diaboli-
eo Amante” (piabolic Lover) here,
is currently being held up by the
censor because of the “offensive¬
ness” of the new handle.

Nearly 100% Attendance

Lockerbie, Scotl., "April 23.

“Reach for Sky,” Rank pic
about British flying ace Doug¬
las Bader, played the local
cinemJt here for .two days.

1 In that time it was seen by
2,228 persons. Total popula¬
tion of Lockerbie is -2,500, an
indication of the popularity of
pix here. „

Pic Co. Doubtful

Tokyo, April 23.

The Nichiei Motion Picture Co.,
expected to become the seventh J
Japan major, has struck a snag
■because the Keio Railway Co.
failed to pay for capital stocks to
which it subscribed. Presiden t
Shiro Sannomiya of the railway is
reported to have said he was un¬
able to raise the necessary funds
for the new company. He. was to
pay for half of the capital.

Sannomiya and his wife have
been missing for a couple of weeks,
and company officials believe it is
because of his financial plight,

Kunzio Matsuo, a sponsor of
Nichipi* said the company will
either have to disband or seek
funds elsewhere if Sannomiya is
not found.

Earlier, Daiei prexy ' Masaichi
Nagata issued a dictum to his em¬
ployees telling those who wished
to go over to Nichiei should do so
before April 3. After that date,
he said, personnel resigning to
join the new outfit would be giv-
/‘dishonorable discharges.”

Metro Opens Deluxer In
Germany, Plans Ozoner

Frankfurt, April 23.
k, of it)s theatre chain to be
[Wit for the company in West
Lennany, the new MGM Theatre
Jus t been opened here by
Metro. Opening film, “High So-
‘ received excellent reviews.
An ® com Pany has two other houses
Kll °^ e which Metro bought In Ham-
an< * one which it built in
tifon* But this is the first ac-
aily constructed for th6 com-
KSf X West Germany, House,
889, seats, is equipped for
L Scope and Todd-AO.

Duesseldorff^* WlU ** bUiU ln

.summer, Metro plans the
*w drive "to to be constructed in

wiiiT c ' hei * fr I 11 Frankfurt. Ozoner
cnii 1)6 e< I ui pped with.heaters for
olav K ther * TIt e Metro houses
iLJ , etl '° Pi* nearly exclusively,
film °' na *‘ y book tol in a German

IFFP MAKES UP MIND
ON FILM FESTIVALS

Paris, April-30.

The International Federation of
Film Producers has released a man¬
ifesto here on its attitude towards
film festivals. Document states the|
aim of a fest should be to make a
contribution both to art and the
film industry as well as foster
greater understanding between peo¬
ples. The IFFP has set up a list
of rules for ill'festivals listed in
competitive “A” category which
must be fulfilled or the IFFP will
withdraw its okay.

IFFP demands all pix entered-in
fests should benefit via a free -im¬
port visa as well . as free remit¬
tances up to an amount set by the
country giving the festival. All
must have a proper bud get, to in¬
sure a flrstrate festival plua all
the latest equipment necessary for
proper projection Of all types of
pix.

No entered film can be cut or
modified without the permission of
the producer. Fest juries njiust be
truly international. Only the prizes
outlined in the festival rules can
be handed out, and no prize can be
split.

Irish Cinema Workers
Reject 5 % Wage Tilt

Belfast, April 23.

William McCullough, National
Assn, of Theatre and Kine Work¬
ers’ exec, has announced that cine¬
ma atid ^theatre staffs in Northern
Ireland have rejected'the 5% wage
offer made by employers.

They wanted 10% for workers
above $21 a week and 15%, for
those under that level. Case now

J goes to. N. I^Ministry^of Labour.^ Jam! Czechoslovakia.

NEW ROME TECHNICOLOR
PLANT AGAIN DELAYED

Rome, April 23.

New Technicolor plant here, rat¬
ed as most modern in world, is ex¬
pected to begin operating in about
six months, according'to an offi¬
cial of the company. Work on
project has been delayed by sub¬
surface difficulties. When com¬
pleted, Techni will be able to serv-,|
ice film companies in area with
its complete range of activity, here¬
tofore handled in London. Plant
will be manned almost entirely by
Italian personnel, some of which is
now in London, undergoing train¬
ing. Lensers will also be predomi¬
nantly Italian from now on, and a
new Technicolor camera will be
built to handle the new Techni-
rama ratio process initiated by the
Italo production, “Monte Carlo
Story.”

Several other' pix are currently
in production or work in the new
Technicolor process. * “Souvenir
D’ltalie,” a Rank release, is due
soon on local screens while “Sea
Wall” (DeLaurentiis) and “Legend
of Lost” (Batjac) are nearing com¬
pletion. Some four or five films
will be made here' this summer in
Technirama, first being “Les
Miserables,” which Rizzoli Films is
co-producing with a French and
East German company.^ This will
be followed by “Vacanze al Sole,”
also for Rizzoli; “The Dolls” and
^Imperial. Venus,” latter starring
Gina Lollobrigida. Technicolor
Italiana, as local subsidiary is
called, is a 50-50 partnership of
Techni and a local financial group,
I.F.I. Previously, partnership had
been offered various Italo lab com¬
bines as well as Ferrania.

13 Nations to Compete
In Scot Dancing Fest

Edinburgh, April 23.

Thirteen nations will compete in
221 different contests during eight
days of an International Festival
of Dancing here July 26-Aug. 3.
The Philippines ambassador will
sponsor a team from the Philip¬
pines presenting two national
dances. France is likely to be
represented for .the first time by
La Pastourelle group of- folk
dancers from Rodez.

Apart from Scotland, England,
Ireland and Wales, other countries
likely to be represented are > the
U.S., the Ukraine, Esthonia, Latvia i
and Yugoslavia. Negotiations are
on for official teams,from Israel

Times Films Topper Would Have
MPA Ignore Code for Foreign Pix

-:-Paris, April 30.

Unifrance Into Tokyo

Tokyo, April $3.

Jacques Flaud, general director
of National Center of French
Films, said that Unifrance will
open a branch here. Unifrance is
an organization which publicizes
French films abroad. Flaud is sur¬
veying market conditions for
French films in Japan. He intends
to confer with Japanese film indus¬
try reps on concerning possible
joint productions.

Flaud also commented that Jap¬
anese pix now have. f a greater
chance to be exhibited in France
1 than evei* before. He - explained
that it was partly due to the popu¬
larity of the Franco-Japanese co¬
production, “Springtime in Naga¬
saki.” r •

Gallic Offbeat
Plays to London

Paris, April 23.

Although .Paris is said to have
the most free legit setup and Lon¬
don the most hidebound; paradoxi¬
cally two offbeat French pieces
were unable to find Gallic theatres
willing to take a chance on them.
And'then have gon^ to the Royal
Court Theatre in London for their
world preems. They are Samuei
Beckett’s “Fin De Partie” and Jean
Genet’s “Le Balcon.”

Beckett, author of the contro¬
versial “Waiting for Godot,”i has.
another unique offering which may
lead to Split camps as it did ‘ in
London. Dealing with a group of
dying personages, held together by
love .and hate complexes,. it gives
Beckett’s sombre view of the
world, but still manages to divulge
a form of compassion. Embossed
with his macabre, humoristic
touches, it made for -pros and cons
among the public and critics there
and likely will do the same here
rand in the U. Sr “Partie!’ is finally
set to open here next month at
Theatre De L’Oeuvre.

Genet's “Le Balcon,” first piece
since his provocative “Les Bonnes”

(The Maids), is set for next season
here. It also was done in London.
“Balcon” takes place in a bagnio
and is a play of masks with the
characters false representations of
such powerful figures as judges,
noblemen, etc.

Both plays were shown' under a
private club aegis at the Royal
Court, London.

SOVIETS MAY ENTER
BERLIN’S FILM FEST

Berlin, April 23.

It may be possible that the Rus¬
sians will take part in the forth¬
coming Berlin Film Festival. This
was revealed at a meeting of 'the
fest executive committee when fest¬
ival rules were outlined.' Every
country which maintains diplomat¬
ic relations with the Federal Re¬
public of Germany may participate.
Since this applies to the Soviet
Union, the fest committee may
send an Invitation to this country.

The Berlin Festival organizers,
incidentally, see in the Czechoslo- <
vakian International Film Festival
at Karlsbad (Karlova Vary) a heavy
competition. Since the Berlin Film
Festival had to "drop its previously
featured public vote (in order to
keep its “A” classification from the
International Producers Assn.) it
was taken into consideration here
' to let a private institution handle
a public poll.this year. But SPIO,
top orgahizatlon of the West Ger¬
man film industry, rejected such
a plan. Objections also were raised
in other quarter, mainly by U. S.
distribs who doubted very much
the objective value of such polls.

bine Planning 7-Day
British Concert Tour

London, April 23.

Frankie Laine is to make a seven-
day concert tour of Britain after
his Palladium season,*which runs
for two weeks starting May 13.
Dates have yet to be fixed.

This is Laine’s first appearance
in this Country for about two years..

Jean Goldwurm, head of Times
“Films, IT. S.. distrib and exhib out¬
fit, here looking for product, out¬
lined some rather radical plans to
help the Independent Motion Pic¬
ture Distributors Assn. One of the
most startling was that of avoiding
the Motion Picture Assn, code
rules. He said that the foreign film,
could be taken out from under thfe
MPA code jurisdiction and gqt spe¬
cial handling by the IMPD.

Goldwurm believes that IMPD
should be reformed because of
changing foreign film distribution
'and exhibition patterns in America.
He .claimed- that his recent idea,
outlined .-before the IMPD, of hav¬
ing the MPA contribute towards
the maintenance of this indie
group was not blackmail but a
sound suggestion. Of course, he
was convinced that U. S. cinema
patrons were acquiring a taste for
foreign product.

Besides the longhair group, many
attend arty theatres out of curi¬
osity, and they may .become pa¬
trons. Goldwhrm felt that this is
why Gallic film producers should
of necessity have top quality films.
He contended that Gallic product
was topping all others at U. S. arty
houses.

A new plan for distrib of French
films in the U. S. is being worked
out by Goldwurm, and h&‘ stated
he plans presenting it to the
Fren<#i government soon. His plan
is strictly hush-hush so far but
stated that he believes France
should not invest in distrib and
exhib functions but should concen¬
trate only on public relations and
advertising.

Eckman Defends Strong
H’wood Fare; Boulting
Agrees, Blasts Censors

London, April 30.

Defending pictures made in Hol¬
lywood that are strongly slanted to
the seedier side of life and portray
brutality, gangsterism and sex, Sam
Eckman Jr., said they did more
good for young people than harm.

“Youth must know the evils that
do exist around them,” he said.

Eckman was filling a guest spot
on a commercial tv program titled
“Youth Wants to Know,” together
with John Boultinng of Boulting
Bros., producers.

Eckman denied that vital statis¬
tics were more important than act¬
ing ability in Hollywood, and added
that the press of the world was to
blame more than anyone else for
the wide publicity accorded to stars
with looks and little else.

He maintained that most of the
actresses with measurements were
sevenday wonders, and that there
were plenty of stars who had been
going for quite a long time in Hol¬
lywood who possessed acting abil¬
ity and little else.

' Boulting backed him up on these
points, and when the questioning
turned closer to home, aired sev¬
eral of his long standing grouses
about the censorship system in this
country. The people themselves
were the ones who should judge
what they want to see, he stressed.
He agreed that there should be
some form of censorship for young¬
sters under the age of 16.
i Questioned on why so many Brit¬
ish pictures are based on estab¬
lished * stage plays, Boulting said
the British industry was unstable
for many reasons, and was there¬
fore cautious in its picture mak¬
ing. He added, however, that in
the past few years the British prod¬
uct had not been as good as it
should have been.

Rank to Use Short

As Bally for Films

London, April 23.

A 20-minute short, made by the
Rank Organization, and designed
to sell British pix to the public
through the theatres, is being of¬
fered to exhibitors free of charge.
Titled “Full Screen Ahead,” it was
lensed at Pinewood Studios.
Whether it will be used in Amer¬
ica has not yet been decided,

J The picture includes clips from
five major British productions now
out on release or nearing comple¬
tion, and features Peggy Cummins,
Rod Steiger, Flora Robson and
Belinda Lee.

PtiasiEfr

Wedneftday, May 1, 1957

Wednesday,. May 1, 1957

P^RlEfY

13

SHIP PAY OFF WITH “FUNNY FACE”

When Russell V. Downing, President and Managing
Director of Radio City Music Hall, first saw “Funny Face"
months ago, he immediately bookSd it for Easter, his most
important playing time of the year. And how right he was!

14

PICTURES

^RiEfir

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

‘SPIRIT’ SOCKO $7,500,
OMAHA; ‘WOMAN’4*G

Omaha, Aprjl 30.

Biz is on skids this week at
downtown first-runs as spring
weather, especially over weekend,
took its toll. Only bright spot is
“Spirit of St. Louis,” which is soar¬
ing high to great total at Brandeis.
Other new entry, “Mister Cory,” is
missing, fire at Orpheiim. This
looms as last stanza for “10 Com¬
mandments” at the Omaha, and
although mild currently, it looks to
get. around $100,000 for itS“ nine
weeks. “Designing Woman” is hold¬
ing on nicely at State in second
round. -

Estimates for This Week
Brandeis (RKO) (1,100; 75-90)—
“Spirit of St. Louis” (WB). Great
$7,500. Last week, “12 Angry Men”
(UA) and “Fire Maidens Outer
Space” (Indie) (2d wk), $2,500,
Omaha (Tristates) (2,066; $1,25-
$2)—"10 Commandments” (Par)
(9th wk). Below hopes at $4,000,
and bows out* Last week, $5,500.

drpheum (Tristales) (2,980; 75-
90)—“Mister Cory” (U) and “Chain
of Evidence” (UA). Mild $5,500.
Last week, “Boy On Dolphin”
(20th), $8,000.

State (Goldberg). (850; 75-90)—
“Designing Woman” (M-G) (2d wk).
Good $4,5Q0 after $6,200 opening
stanza.

BROADWAY

(Continued fr&m page 9)

Wk). The 41st week ended Sunday

(28) was excellent $8,000. The 40th
week was $9,200.

Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 50-
$2)—“Bachelor Party” (UA) (4th
wk). Third round ended Monday

(29) was sock $27,000, Second was
$26,000.

Warner (SW-Cinerama) (1,600;
$l;20-$3.50) — “Seven Winders”
(Cinerama) (56th wk). The 55th
session ended Saturday (27) was
wow $52,600 for. 27 shows. The
54th week, for 16 performances,
was $40,000.

World (Times) (501; 95-$1.50)—
“Devil’s General” (Indie) (3d wk).
Second week finished Sunday (28)
was fine $6,100. Initial frame was
$7,800.

Central (Maurer) (501; $1.25-
$1.80)—“Mom and Dad” (Indie)
and “She Shoulda Said No” (Indie)
(14th wk). The 13th session ended
last night (Tues.) was fine $8,000.
The 12th week was $13,000.

Rialto (Brandt) (594; 42-$1.25)—
“Violated” (Mishkin) and “Secret
Scandal” (Mish) (2d wk)* Current
round winding tomorrow (Thurs.
looks big $8,000 after $13,500, rec¬
ord under present policy at this
house.

PHILADELPHIA

(Continued from page 8)

(UA). (18th wk). Off to $15,000,
still big. Last week, $22,000.

Randolph (Goldman) (2,250:
$1.40-$2.75)—“10 Commandments”
(Par). (23d wk). Okay $17,000,
Last week, $26,000.

Stanley (Slfr) (2,900; 99-$1.49)—
“Spirit of St. Louis” (WB) (2d wk).
Quiet $10,000. Last week, $17,000.

Stanton (SW) (1,483; 99-$1.49)—
“12 Angry Men” (UA) (2d wk),
Fair $9,'000. Last week, $13,000.
Studio (Goldberg) (400; 94-$1.49)

— ,“La Strada” (T-L) (7th wk).
Final week is oke $3,300. Last
week, $4,000.

Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 99-$1.80)

— “Anastasia” (20th) (18th wk),
Good $6,000. Last week, $7,000.

Viking (Sley) (1,000; 75-$1.40)-
“Funny Face” (Par) (3d wk). Bright
$17,000 or near. Last week,
$27,000.

World (Pathe) (499; 99-$1.49)
“Gold of Naples” (DCA) (6th wk>.
Thin $2,500. Last week, $2,900.

WASHINGTON

(Continued from page 9)
days of “Tarzan and- Lost Safari’
(M-G) very nice $7,900.

Keith’s (RKO) (1,859; 50-90) —
“Cinderella” (BV) (reissue) (2d
wk). Fine $12,000. Last week,
$16,000. >

Palace (Loew) (2,360; 85-$1.25)—
“Bachelor Party” (UA) (2d wk).
Good $14,000. Last week, $19,500.

Plaza (T-L) (290; 90-$1.35)—“Bed
of Grass” (Indie). Big $4,000. Last
week. “Fernandel, Dressmaker”
(Indie) (4th wk), $1,800.

Trans-Lux (T-L) (600; 00-$1.25)
—“Strange One” (Col) (2d wk).
Weak $5,000 after $6,000 opener.

Warner (SW-Cinerama) (1,300;
$1.20-$2.40)“Seven Wonders”
(Cinerama) (18th wk). Potent $20,-
000 after $27,600 last week. -
Uptown *$W) (1,100: $1.25^3)—
“Around World” (UA) (4th wk).
Sock $25,000. Last week. $32,700.

LOS ANGELES

(Continued from page 8)
son” (20th)’and “Quiet Gun” (20th)
(2d wk. L.A.). Neat $24,000 or over.
Last week, $17,800. for L.A. alone.

Fine Arts (FWC) • <631; $1.25-
$1.75)—“Bachelor Party” (UA) (3d
wk). Medium $5,500. Last week,
$7,500.

Fox Wilshire (FW£) <2,296; $1-
$1:75)—r“12 Angry Men” (UA) (3d
wk); Dull $4,500. Last week, $7,300.

Pantages (RKO) (2,812; $1.10-
$1.75)—^“Designing Woman” (M-G)
(3d wk). Modest $9,500. Last week,
$15,700. 1

- Hillstroet, Iris (RKO-FWC) (2,752;
756; 80-$1.25)—“Cinderella” (BV)
(reissue)*(3d wk). Slim $6,500. Last
week, with Ritz, $14,700. -
Fox Beverly, (FWC) (1,334; $1.25-
$1.50) —- “Invitation To Dance”
(M-G) (4th wk). Thin $2,500. Last
week, $3,900.

Four Stir (UATC) 1868; 80-$1.50),
—“Rififi” (Lopert) (4th wk). Slow
$2,900. Last week. With State,

$11,200;

Carthay (FWC) (1,138; $1.75-

143.50) — “Around World” (UA)
(19th wk). Hovering at near-capac¬
ity after smash $28,400 last week.

Warner Beverly (SW) (1,612;
$1.50-$3.30>—“10 Commandments”
(Par) (24th wk). Nice $17,000. Last
week, bounced up to Second best
week of run with 'great $37;600,
being helped by extra morning
matinees.

Warner . Hollywood (SW-Cine¬
rama) (1,384; $1.20-$2.65)—“Cine
Holiday” (Cinerama) (77th wk).
Into current frame Sunday (28)
after $17,800 last week.

Canon (Rosener) (533; $1.50)—
‘Gold of Naples” (Indie). Big
$7,000. Last week, “Oedipus Rex”
(Indie) (3d wk), $1,900.

Vagabond (Rosener). (390; $1.50)
—“Lady Chatterley’s Lover” (In¬
die). Stout $6,200. Last week,
“Streets of-Shame” (Indie) (10th
wk), $1,900.

Heat Hits Port. But

‘80 Days’ Hot $14,0001

Portland, Ore., April 30.

Nearly all first-runs are suffering
this session from a sudden heat
wave. Too many holdovers ’ also is
hurting. One of few newcomers,
“The Vintage,” shapes sad at Lib¬
erty, and stays only five days. Only
holdovers to show much are the
longrunner “10 Commandments”
and “Around World in 80 Days.”
Latter still is great in second stan¬
za at Broadway.

Estimates for This Week

Broadway (Parker)* (980; $2-

$2.50)—“Around World” (UA) (2d
wk). On two-a-day, with extra mat¬
inees on weekends. Great $14,000.
Last week, same.

Fox*(Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.50)
—“Spirit of St, Louis” (WB) (2d
Wk). Modest $5,000 in 6 days. Last
week $9 100*

Guild (Indie) (400; $1.25)-^-“Gold
of Naples” (Indie). So-so $2,000.
Last week, “Proud and the Beau¬
tiful” (Indie), $2,300.

Liberty (Hamrick) (1,890; 90-
$1.25)—“The Vintage” (M-G) and
“Lizzie” (M-G). Sad $3,000 in 5
days. Last week, “Funny Face.”
(Par) and “The Cruel Tower” (AA)_,
$7,200.

Orpheupi (Evergreen) (1,600; $1-
$1.25)—“Boy On Dolphih” (20th)
and “Yaqui Drums” (AA) (2d wk).
Slim $5,000 in 5 days. Last week,
$8,900.

Paramount (Port-Par) (3,400;
$1.50-$2.20)—“10 Commandments”
(Par) (8th wk), two-a-day, reserved
seats on main floor;' unreserved
balcony. Solid $7,000. Last week,
$ 8 , 200 .

‘Spirit’Fine $9,000 In
Buff.; ‘Face’ Potent lOG

Buffalo, April 30.
Holdovers are providing back¬
bone of strength this stanza. About
best of these is “Funny Face,” po¬
tent in second Paramount round,
and “Spirit of St. Louis,” fine in
first holdover week at the Center.
“Around World in 80 Days” still is
terrific in fourth frame at Cen¬
tury. “Seven Wonders of World”
also is nifty in 35th session at the
Tech. “Boy on Dolphin”, is rated
steady in second. Buffalo stanza.

^ Estimates for T^fe Week
Buffalo (Loew) <3,000; 60-85)—■
“Boy On Dolphin” (20th) and.
“Daniel Boone Trail Blazer (Indie)
(2d wk). Steady $9,500. Last week,
$15,000.

* Paramount (AB-PT) (3,000; 60-
85)—“Funny Face” (Par) . and
“Dance With Me, Henry” (Indie)
(2d wk). Potent $10*000. Last week,
$15,000.

Center (AB-PT) (2,000;60-85)—
“Spirit of St. Louis” (WB)' (2d wk).
Fine $9,000 or near. Last week,
$ 12 , 200 .

Lafayette. (Basil) (3,000; 50-85)—
“Cinderella” (BV) (reissue) and
“Hot Shots” (AA). Brilliant 11-day
stint at $32,500. “Tattered Dress”
(U) due in next.

Century (Buhawk) (1,400; $1.50-
$3)—“Around the World” (UA)
(4th wk). Terrific $18,000 or near.
Last week, $22,000.

Teck ’ (SW-Cinerama) (1,200;
$1.20-$2.40) — “Seven Wonders”
(Cinerama) (35th wk). .Nifty $10,-
000. Last week, $13,000.

CHICAGO

(Continued from page 9)

(20th) (6th wk). Good' $17,000 for
6 days. - Last week, $21,000.

Palace (SW - Cinerama) (1,484;
$1.25-$3.40) — “Seven Wonders*’
(Cinerama) (19th wk). Sock $37,-
000. Last week, $30,500.

Roosevelt (B&K) (1,400; 65-90)—
“Incredible Shrinking Man” (U)
,(2d wk). Great $15,000. Last
week, $22,000;

State-Lake (B&K) (2,400; 90-

$1.50)—“Strange One” (COIL Way
belpw hopes at $12,000. Last week,
“12 Angry Men” (UA) (2d wk),'
$13;000.

Surf (H&E Balaban) (685; $1.25)
—“Royal Affairs in Versailles”
(Times). Mild $3,500. Last week,
“Wee Geordie” (Indie) (9th wk),
$2,800.

Todd’s Cinestage (Todd) (1,036;
$1.75-$3.50) — “Around World”
(UA) (4th wk). Ponderous $28,000.
Last week, $24,500. .

United Artists (B&K) (1,700; 90-
$1.50)—“Funny Face” (Par) (3d
wk). Hefty $20,000. Last week,
$27,000.

Woods (Essaness) (1,200; 90-.

$1.50)—“Edge of City” (M-G) (2d]
wk). Rosy $22,000. Last week,

$29,500.

World (Indie)'(606; 90)—“Oedi¬
pus Rex” (Teitel) (4th wk). Okay
$3,500. Last week same.

Ziegfeld (Davis) (430; $1.25-

$1.50)—“Marcelino” (Indie) (10th
wk). Thunderous $7,400. Last
week, $9,000.

Science Fiction Market Glutted?

Hollywood, April 30.

Although the combo of "Attack of the Crab Monsters” and “Not
of This Barth” is doing well in current key dates, producer Ro ger
Corman has notified Allied Artists to “let the rush go by” in those
situations where the package has yet to play. He has issued simi¬
lar instructions, to American-International on “The Undead.”

Corman believes the increased number of science fiction films
may be “spreading the science fiction box-office dollar a little too
thin,” lienee his decision* _ Producer-director says proper routing
of the films can be profitable but there’s danger of top much jam¬
ming of s-f bookings* He cites,' particularly, continuing successive
category. ; .1’. .. : • V * ’V’ : -

engagements of such pix locally as apt example of overplaying the

far

60-

and

BOSTON

(Continued from page 9)

000. First week was $17,000,
below hopes.

Paramount (NET) (1,700;
$1.10)—“Funny Face” (Par)
“Footsteps In Night” (AA) (2d wk),
Neat $13,500. Last week, $17,000.

Pilgrim (ATC) (1,000; 65-95)-
“Hellcats of Navy” (Col) and
“Phantom Stagecoach” (Col). Good
$9,000. Last week, “Shadow On
Window” (Col) and “Tall T” (Col),
$ 10 , 000 .

Saxon (Saxon) (1,100; $1.50-$3.30)
—“Around World” (UA) (2d wk).
Second week began Saturday 26)
with 11 sold-out shows for $28,000.
Opening .week, with 13 shows, was
capacity $31,000.

Orpheum (Loew) (2,900; 90-

$1.25)—“Designing Woman” (M-G)
and “Revolt At Ft. Laramie” (UA)
(2d wk). Second week looks hotsy.
Opening week was socko $18,000.

State (Loew) (2,900; 90-$1.25)—
“Designing Woman” (M-G) and
“Revolt Ft. Laramie” (UA) (2d
wk). Second week shapes okay.
Opening week was solid $11,000.

BALTIMORE

(Continued from page 9)
ing nicely at $4,800 after $6,000 in
third.

New (Fruchtman) (1,600; $1.25-
$2.25)—“10 Commandments” (Par)
(19th wk). Still ibig at $8,200 after
$11,000 last week. •

. Playhouse (Schwaber) (410; 50-
$1.25)—“12 Angry Men” (UA) (2d
wk). Hefty $4,600 after $4,000 for
first.

Stanley (SW) (3,200; 50-$1.25)—
“Spirit of St. Louis” (WB). Just
okay $12,000.

Town (Rappaport) (1,400; 50-
$1.25)—“Funny Face” (Par) (2d
wk). Nice $9,000 after $12,000
opener.

ALASKA-TO-PANAMA
HIGHWAY IN C’SfOPE

Feature-length color documen¬
tary on the Pan-American Highway
—from Alaska down to Panama—
is planned by German producer
Hans Domnick and his wife.. Film,
to be' called “Dream Road of the
World,” will be shot in Cinema-
Scope.

Domnick said in the office, of his
U. S. rep, Munio Podhorzer, last
week that, he planned . to start
shooting in Los Angeles in May,
with the sked calling for ten
months of camerawork. Budget is
tentatively set at $200,000. Vari¬
ous government agencies are co¬
operating bn the project.

Domnick Said One of the great¬
est problems ip the German indus¬
try today were costs. “They’re •im¬
ply too high for us,” he said. “We
can’t get our money back ip the
German market on most films, and
we have.practcally no export mar¬
ket.” The German government,
Domnick held, was treating the
film business “like a stepchild. We
have absolutely no protection.” He
pointed out that, in 1956, 140,000,-
000’DM Were spent on production
in Germany, and that the return
ran to 80,000,000 DM.

* “Part of the reason is that we
are operating strictly in a buyers’
market,” he said. “Our exhibitors
are offered 500 features a year.
They’re in the driver’s seat all the
way. .Why .should they bother to
go out and exploit a picture when
they have people striding in line
offering them pictures?” ’

Domnick pointed out .that it was
extremely difficult for a small
^German indie producer to compete
with the powerful American com¬
panies who can afford to properly
publicize and promote their re¬
leases. He .indicated that the Ger¬
man producers should have some
sort of protection against this mas¬
sive competition.- -

Domnick has been to the U. S.
before. He made “The Golden
Garden,” a .documentary feature
on Los Angeles as seen through
the eyes ( of a European. It rated a
prize at Venice. His last film, a
theatrical feature,’ was called “My
16 Sons.”

In Germany, when a documen¬
tary is rated valuable by the Gov¬
ernment and is' coupled with a fea¬
ture, that program benefits from
tax exemptions or reductions At the
boxoffice, ’ Domnick explained.
This adds an incentive for the thea-
treman to book such shows.

Berlin, April 30.

Critical meeting of the creditors
of Mosaik Laboratories, Berlin, is
set for May 6 in Germany and may
decide • the future of the dubbing
outfit. Efforts are aimed at keep
ing the company from going into
bankruptcy, with chances thought
good that the creditors may take
over the company from Ernst
Wolff.

Creditors include / primarily the
rawstock suppliers 7 — Kodak and
Agfa—with the Geyer Laboratories
also involved. There seems, for
the moment at least, no chance at
all for the UFA to get into the Mo¬
saik picture. UFA at one point had
its eye on Mosaik.

Efforts are now current to find
a-new operating head for Mosaik,
which got into trouble when the
Allianz distribution outfit, in which
Wolff was heavily involved, went
into bankruptcy. The new head
may he an American.

It’s considered important to get
a sound management setup so as
to obtain -a 2,500,000 DM loan guarl
antee from the Berlin Senate,
which Is vitally interested in keep
ing the Mosaik labs operating,

New Posts Handed Tom O’Sullivan,
Max Greenberg'

Washington, April 30.

Japanese Motion Picture Export
Assn., formed to publicise Nippon¬
ese pix overseas, is now in op¬
eration, according to the Japanese
Embassy here. It is under the joint
jurisdiction qf the Ministries of
Foreign Affairs and International
Trade and Industry.

Chief activities are explained as
follows; “To prepare and distrib¬
ute motion picture publicity ma¬
terial; to study the Japanese mo¬
tion picture export situation
abroad; to lend its good offices in
connection with participation in'
International film festivals and
concerts; and to give private show¬
ings of Japanese motion pictures
abroad in cooperation with Japa¬
nese diplomatic' establishments,” i

VETS STEP UP AT WARNERS

Torii O’Sullivan has been elected
v.p. and treasurer and Max. Green¬
berg v.p. of Warner Bros. Pictures
International, according to prexy
Wolfe Cohen.

Greenberg succeeds the late
John J. Glynn. Both O’Sullivan
and Greenberg have been with
Warners for over 25 years.'

O’Sullivan has been auditor
and Greeriberg assistant secretary
since 1944 when the company was
formed.

OZONER WINS PARITY
WETH HARDTOP SPOT

St. Louis, April

An out of court settlement of an .
antitrust suit brought by the J-K
Amusement Co. of Clayton against
the Great States Theatres Inc. wai
filed in the local U.S. District
Court July 27 and the necessarjf
papers are being drawn up to enfi'
the litigation! The plaintff is presi
ently exercising the sought-fof
right' to bid on films for the Shop j
City drive-in its ozoner in East St;
Louis in competition with the de¬
fendants’ downtown Majestic thear
tre in that city.

v The plaintiff’s petition alleged
that the owners of the ozoner were
not permitted to show films of di&
tribution companies, also named as
defendants, until after they had
been shown in the Majestic, a hard¬
top house. The Majestic, it was al¬
leged, has been-granted a 14-day
clearance over the ozoner. No ac¬
tual damages were sought in the
petition.

Besides the Great Lakes organ¬
ization other defendants were ex¬
changes . operated • by Universal,
20th Century-Fox, Warner Bros.,
'Loew’s, United Artists and Para¬
mount.

Rank Staffs Dallas, Hub

Boston, April 30.

Abe Weiner, Hub film theatre
vet, has been named district man¬
ager for the newly created Rank
Film Distributors of America Inc.
and will make his-headquarters in
Boston, covering New Haven,' Al¬
bany, and Buffalo, territories.

Stanton DaVis, formerly with
RKO, will serve as Boston branch
manager. David Grover, also for¬
mer RKO Boston salesman, will be
Hub office manager. The company
plans release- of 14 films in the
U. S. during the coming months.
Initial releases include: “Reach For
The Sky,” “Pursuit Of The Graf
Spee” and “A Town Like Alice.”

Dividends of Film Biz
Slightly Off Year Ago

Washington, April 30.

- Film industry dividends > n _
March were behind those f° r
March, 1956, and totals for the
first quarter of this year were also ■
back of those for the same three
months of 1956. .

The aggregate stockholder melon
for January-February-March, 1W 1 '
was $6,920,000, reports the U; *
Department of Commerce. A y c >P
earlier, the total was $ 7 ,033,00ft
The March, 1957, melon to stock'
holders was $3,836,000, as contrast*
ed with $3,842,000 in March,

Most companies paid the same
for March of both years. They
were: Allied' Artists, $21,000 W
times.' Consolidated Amusemeh
$55,000 Both times; Loew’s, '
000 in both. Paramount Pictur®?
$1,094,000 both; Fox .$1*058,OJJ
both years, United Artists $8,0
both years. ~ Universal $314,0UV
both. vufi

However, Roxy Theatre,
paid $6,000 last year, declared a
dividend in March, 1957,

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PS&IETY

PICTURES

15

l ON OWN

_ _ , . , . — ,-:- - —— -----— . ♦-

No Rental Concessions (or Distressed’

Columbia Saturation-Books N. Y. C.

Areas in Ital

Motion Picture Export Assn.>
board, meeting in Kew York last
week, went along with the-recom-
mendations *' of the Continental
managers on a new ^film rental
agreement in Italy. Terms pro¬
posed by the Americans are largely
the same. as those under-the o r 3
agreement which' expires Aug. 3i,

1957. ■

Distributor section- of ANICA,-
the Italo industry organization, of
which the American companies are
members, an dthe AG1S, in which
the Italiap exhibitors. are repre¬
sented, met in Rome yesterday
(Tues.) on the theatres’ pitch for
a new pact.

One Italian request that was
turned down flat by the MPEA was
to have Naples declared a “dis¬
tressed'’ area with appropriate
rental reduction. Companies felt
this would set a bad precedent and
would soon be followed by re¬
quests from other parts of Italy.

The Americans go along with
the proposition that all references
to wide screen techniques be elimi¬
nated from a new agreement. In
the past, the special technique
films commanded better rental
terms, but the exhibitors now feel
that the widescreen releases have
become standard rather than the
exception.

Terms

Basically, 25% of all pictures re¬
leased would command a maxi¬
mum 50% in rentals. While this
was not specifiically spelled out by
the ContinentaUmanagers, the for¬
eign managers assumed that the
rest—75%—would again be sold at
40% maximum, with a number of
releases freely negotiable re terms.

Suggestion that a sliding scale
arrangement on rentals be insti¬
tuted was nixed by MPEA. There
was disagreement on the question
of minimum rentals inasmuch as
the Paris managers’ recommenda¬
tions weren't explicit on that point.
There are now some 700 situations
in Italy which, being rated very
small, get their pictures at a" flat
20% rental. It was suggested that
these theatres aren’t really so
small, and that the rate should be
hiked to 30%.

As for a new distribution of pub¬
licity charges, the Companies de¬
cided to retain the status quo. On
the question of holdover percent¬
ages, the companies were told this
was a matter of their individual
judgment.

The American position is by no
means ' final. .. MPEA powwow
served merely to outline the U. S.
position during the negotiations
with the exhibitors. In Italy, if ex¬
hibitors and , distributors fail to
reach an agreement on rental pol¬
icy, the Government has the right
to step in and decide.

National Theatres, Asks
Court Okay on Colorado
Hardtop Acquisition

Washington, April 30.
National Theatres will ask the
Federal Court in New York for
permission to purchase th6 Wood-
fawn Theatre, a new, 8Q0-seat hard-
top, in Littleton, Colo., a.suburb
°i Denver. National says it' will
operate the house on runs 28 and
^ days after the Denver show¬
cases.

If the court approves the acqui :
tlle WoodlaWn would be
added to the Fox Inter-Mountain
x, aiI V National now has nine thea-
. ln the Denver area, but none
within eight miles of the Wood-
iawn, according to the Justice De¬
partment Anti-Trust. Division.

Since the divorcement decrees,
national Theatres have been ap¬
proved for eight acquisitions.
*t Ve \F e in the Salt Lake City
r r ® a: .r the eighth-is a drive-in at
i<as Veghg. Other acquisitions by
divorced circuits ' so fait—five by
one by Stanley Warner;
one by Paramount.

French Want Prints Back

Some French producers are
becoming festive about their
old films, prints of which are
still circulating in the States
though the rights to them have
.... long Expired. ,

It’s expected that the French
Film Office in N. Y. will soon
go after some of the local dis¬
tributors * Who handle the
3 French product and continue
to peddle it without any ac¬
counting to the French owner.

Paramount Circuit
Shortens Cham

American Broadcasting - Para¬
mount Theatres is still lopping off
houses regarded as marginal opera¬
tions, Leonard H. Goldenson, presi¬
dent, told stockholders in a divi¬
dend, letter this week. Seven such
situations were dropped since the
end, of last year, he said!

Theatre business, he reported,
basically reflects the number of
quality pictures available and in
this category he cited “Around the
World in 80 Days,” “Ten Com¬
mandments” and “Heaven Knows,
Mr. Allison.” Theatre income* for
the first quarter of the current
year compared favorably with the
same period in 1956, he stated.

AB-PT earnings for the new pe¬
riod were off, though, because of
the “disappointing” tv network
sales that took place during the
1956 selling season. The profit was
$1,743,000, or 40c per common
share, compared with $2,570,000,
or 60c. per share, in the first quar¬
ter of last year.

With the, acquisition its Al¬
bany and Buffalo exchange-offices,
formerly franchises Owned Jjy. Har¬
ry Berkson and Nat Dickm>ft, Al¬
lied Artists now who ll.y<;.owns
87.7% of the company’s ex¬
changes throughout the. country.
The Albany and Buffalo takeovers
become effective Friday (3).

As part, of its policy to buy out
its franchise holders, AA has spent
.over $500,000, shelling out a-re¬
ported $100,000 alone for the Bos¬
ton exchange recently. In addition
to r the Boston; Albany and Buffalo
offices, the film company recently
acquired fQrmer AA franchise of¬
fices in New Haven, Milwaukee,
Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis and
New Orleans. Remaining fran¬
chise owned exchanges are in Los
Angeles, San„Fraricisco, Cleveland
and Buffalo, but it’s expected that
efforts will be made shortly to buy
out these franchise holders.

By buying out its franchise hold¬
ers, AA will no longer have to give
the local distributors a percentage
of the distribution fee, reported to
be approximately 25% of the net.

Deal for the Albany and Buffalo,
buyouts were set with Berkson by
AA executives Edward Morey,
v.p., and Earl Revoir, assistant
treasurer.

AA will continue to operate the
Albany and Buffalo offices at their
present addresses.

Abram Myers:
Antitrust Div.
Utterly Biased’

Washington, April 30.
Allied States Assn: has singled
out the Antitrust Division of the

METRO’S MIGHTY MO. OF
MAY, SIX FILMS OPEN

The month of May fiiay mark a
milestone in Metre’s road to recov¬
ery. Six major openings are sched¬
uled for New York which, with one
holdover, will give M-G a total
of seven first-run films playing in
Gotham at the same time.' Com¬
pany toppers are hopeful that the
month will be one'of the best in
Metro's sales history.

“Designing Woman” will follow
Parartiount’s “Funny Face” into
the Radio City Music Hall; “This
Could Be the Night” bows at
Loew’s State the third week in
May; ;“The Little Hut” opens at
the Capitol Friday (3); “Th§ Liv¬
ing Idol” at the Globe tomorrow
(Thurs.); aiid “The Vintage”
opened at Loew’s Metropolitan in
Brooklyn Monday (29).- Holding
over is “Lust for Life” which
opened- at the Plaza last Sep¬
tember.

O’Sullivan Reactivating
Variety Pictures Corp.

Hollywood, April 30.

Vet Republic producer William
J. O’Sullivan has reactivated his
Variety Pictures Corp., originally
formed in 1947, has teamed with
director Lesley Selander for a new
program of indie pix. O’Sullivan
recently departed Republic which
has suspended production.

• Initial offering under the Variety
banner will be “Back of the Be-
yond a which rolls this week with
John Lupton, Gloria Talbot, Jack
Kelly, May Wynn and Verna Fel¬
ton. It will be followed by “The
Wayward Girls” and the two films
will be paired for release as a dual
entry by Republic.

Theresa Loeb Cone, drama edi-
.tor .of the Oakland Tribune, will
be in Hollywood from May 5 • to
May 11 at the Paramount lot
among the 50 newspaper critics
picked to appear in Perlberg-
Seaton’s “Teacher’s Pet.”

Dept, of Justicq for attack, charg¬
ing that the Government agency
“is utterly biased and acts upon
that bias in total disregard of the
facts and the law in all matters
affecting the motion picture busi¬
ness.”

. The charge is made in a bulle¬
tin issued by general counsel
Abram F. Myers prior to Allied’s
board meeting in Detroit next
Tuesday (7). Allied charges that
as S' result of the alleged bias, the
Antitrust Division seems almost
automatically (1) to decide all ’is¬
sues between the film business and
television in favor of television;
(2) to decide all issues between the
film-companies and exhibitors (in¬
cluding major circuits) in favor of
the film companies, and (3) to de¬
cide all issues between the. major
circuits and independent exhibi¬
tors in favor of the circuits.

The 'question of the Antitrust
Division’s - “bias” will be discussed
at the Detroit board meeting and
Allied may consider “turning the
glare of publicity upon that agency
in hopes of modifying its antago¬
nistic attitude toward the motion
picture - business ah'd, especially,
toward the independent theatre-
owners.’’

•Other topics scheduled for dis¬
cussion by the. board include de¬
layed availabilities because of spe¬
cial handling, shifting of prints,
and deliberate withdrawal of cer¬
tain pictures; arbitration, the
Council of M f ion Picture Organ-,
izations (16 Allied units favor re¬
affiliation while only one is op¬
posed), and “the plans for ’the an-;
nual convention at the Concord
Hotel at Kiamesha Lake, N/Y.

Bill Berke ‘Calypso’ Party
* Shooting in? Nassau

William Berke, “Calypso Is¬
land” producer-director,' and his
crew departed New York for Nas-’
sau.in Bahamas. Film now shoot¬
ing with Marie Windsor and Vince
Edwards heading the .cast.

United Artists will distribute.

Legion’s Easter Spirit

The National Legion of P.e-
. cency .made with the.Easter
. spirit iast. week and relaxed.

It reviewed a total of II films,
but put only two in its “B”
(Morally Objectionable in Part
for All) category.

In recent weeks, the per¬
centage of “B” ratings has run
a lot higher.

Two^'B” tags were both col-. .'
lected by United Artists, for'
“Hidden Fear” and “Lady, of
Vengeance.”

Kodak Still Zooms,

! 1957 Dp by 5.4%

• Record first quarter in terms of
sales and earnings was reported
this week by Eastman Kodak prexy
Albert K. Chapman and chairman'
of the board Thomas J. Hargrave.

For the 12-week period' ended
March 24, 1957, the company had
consolidated sales of $163,081,735,
an increase of 5.4% over the $154,-
744,604 sales tqtal registered for
the like, period in 1956.

Net earnings after taxes amount¬
ed to $17,677,378 for the first 1957
quarter, a 4% boost over 1956.
Last year’s first quarter to date
had been tops in sales and earn¬
ings volume.

Quarterly earnings of 91c per
share on 19,191,123 shares out¬
standing. compared with 92c per
sjiare on 18,277,260 shares out¬
standing at the end of the first
1956 quarter. Common shares
outstanding increase on Jan. 21,
1957, by payment of a five percent
stock dividend. ^

BLUMBERG, DAFF HEAD
U MISSION TO ROME

A European sales conferences of
Universal - International, * foreign
subsidiary of Universal, gets' under
way in Rome on May 9. Sessions
will be attended by homeoffice and
Continental headquarters execu¬
tives and managers, sales chiefs
and publicity directors of 15 Euro¬
pean countries.

Board chairman Nate J. Blum-
berg, currently in Europe, will
head the U. S. delegation with Al¬
fred E. Daff, exec v.p. of Universal
and president of the overseas sub¬
sidiary, and foreign general man¬
ager and v.p. Americo Aboaf. For¬
eign publicity topper Fortunat
Baronet left N. Y. for Rome over
the past weekend to supervise con¬
ference preparations.

Continental supervisor John B.
Spires will lead the European dele¬
gation which includes Continental
sales manager Marion Jordan and
Middle Europe and Scandinavian
supervisor John Marshall. Group
business sessions are scheduled for
May 13-14, with the balance of
time set aside for screening the
latest films in the company’s 1957-
58 product lineup.

Dave Kimelman Exits Pix
, For Weight-Shrink Trade

Pittsburgh, April 30.
Dave Kimelman, exiting Para¬
mount after 35 years, the last -20
of them as company’s branch man¬
ager here, is'joining Slim Zelle,
new reducing method, as sales di¬
rector for national franchises.
Kimelman was offered an advisory
consultant’s post at local Par ex¬
change under his successor,- Eu¬
gene Jacobs, hut passed it up.

Kimelman is being feted tomor¬
row (Wed.) at a Variety Club testi¬
monial dinner in-the Penn-Shera-
' ton Hotel. Hugh Owen and Buster
Keaton will be the principal speak¬
ers,. with Howard Minsky as toast¬
master. Film Row's Bert Stearn
and Lou Hanna are co-chairmen of
the affair.

■+ Columbia is bypassing a Broad¬
way engagement for “The Garment
Jungle” for a saturation booking In
89 neighborhood and surburban
theatres in the New York metro¬
politan area starting May 15. It’s
estimated by the company that the
mass bookings will give it, a total
seating capacity of 145,000? Deal is
one of the largest day-and-date
runs ever set in. the N.Y. territory.

Key factor in the decision to seek
the territorial saturation was the
timeliness of the picture’s theme
as well -as its closeness to a large
segment of .the metropolitan area
population. Picture, much of
which was shot in location in Man¬
hattan, deals with labor racketeer¬
ing in the N.Y. garment industry.
In addition, the subject of labor
racketeering has been a daily
headline event in recent weeks
and Columbia' hopes to cash in on
the interest. The news stories on
the McClellan investigations, the
Victor Riesel case, the Dio trial,
and the grand jury probes are
the elements. which give the pic¬
ture an unusual timeliness. Ac¬
cording to Abe Montague, Col sales
chief, “these, factors fairly shouted
for rushing the film before the
broadest possible audience in the
quickest time.”

That-the picture is not offensive
to legimate labdr unions is mani¬
fested in the fact that the Interna¬
tional Ladies Garment Workers
Union is giving Columbia .full sup¬
port in promotional efforts for the
picture. Ah entire issue of the
union's publication will be devoted
to the picture and ILGWU mem¬
bers will be urged to see the film.

Harriman Kills Bill
Exempting Newsreel Labs
From Overtime Limits

Albany, April 30.

Holding that, it had “obvious
dangers,” was “too- loosely drawn,
too broad in coverage and suscep¬
tible to abuses,” Governor Averell
Harriman vetoed a bill by Senator
Irwin Pakula, and Assemblyman
Joseph P. Savarese, Queens Repub¬
licans, xyhich provided for an
amendment tdthe State Labor Law
•exempting women-over 21 from-
over-time provisions, where they
were employed in processing or
editing films “for television or
newsreel use.” The measure lim¬
ited such work to a total of 48
hours in any week.'

A lengthy veto message by the
Governor pointed out that the
bill was “designed to meet the
particular problems of processing
newsreel film that may arrive at
any hdur of the day or night.”

However, Dr. Isidor Lubin, State
Industrial Commissioner, in a
memorandum recommending disap¬
proval, said that “It is felt very
seriously by this Department the
bill as it is now constituted, goes
far beyong the problem it initially
sought to alleviate. The exemption
is so broad that it would legally
permit an employer to work his fe¬
male employees for ah unlimited
number of hours a day for at leapt
two days in any one work week.
Further, ^the exemption is granted
for the processing of all film and
not solely the processing of news¬
reel film as • had initially been
sought by this industry.”

Dr. Lubin prophesied that if ap¬
proved, the 'bill would be the “fore¬
runner** of many additional re¬
quests, as well as the introduction
of similar legislation from other in¬
dustries that are likewise affected
by the present provisions of the
law.”

Fully appreciative of the “diffi¬
culties” confronting the film pro¬
cessing industry, Governor Harri¬
man ivrote that “If, at the next ses¬
sion, legislation is resubmitted
which solely meets the emergency
nature of the problem and affords
the necessary protection to female
employees, I shall be glad to give
'it my earnest consideration.”

16__Wednesday, May 1, 1957

f SAMUEL FULLER’S

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china §;

IS READY TO OPEN!

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1 - .

1 Samuel Fuller’s

f < 'IM :m \S( ■( >1’F

L •. • ••. (11■ 111■ lLirr\ ...

f An^ie Dickinson...

1 ••••..•••, • Nat Kinu ('oh •

I Samuel Fuller

i

Wednesday^, May 1,1957

PfiRIEfY

PICTURES

17

+

+

Inside Stuff—Pictures

Blacklist qf screenwriters which has existed for a decade is a “fraud
that Should be ended,’V Frontier Magazine declares in an editorial in
its May. issue. Magazine declares that the blacklist rests on two “in¬
valid arguments 0 —that radical writers used films for “subversive”
propaganda and that "subversive activities” were financed by con¬
tributions from highly paid filmites. Magazine quoted Eric Johnston
to refute the first argument, noting the MPAA prexy’s flat statement
that the radicals never succeeding in influencing the content of a
Single film., On the second count, Frontier contends that the charge
that vast’sums of Hollywood coin Went to radical causes is “nonsense.”
Magazine adds that the blacklist now is a “political weapon” used by
“sophisticated political reactionaries to control the content of the
screen” and.'contends that the public thus is denied to make its own
choice of. good Or bad because of the work of "self-appointed censors.”

“That Hollywood contributions to radical movements represented
a threat to the U.S.,”* Frontier contends, “is a claim that is fraudulent
on its face. . And the argument that a blacklist had to be fastened on
the back of the film industry to meet such a threat is an underserved
compliment to the Communist Party and a sneer at democratic
processes.”

Two special “Film Weeks” are scheduled in Argentifta. First fol¬
lows Easter Sunday at the Mar del Plata beach resort, to catch the
influx of tourists and regale them with French films. Second is a
Swedish Film Week at the Metropolitan Theatre (Lococo) from April
24 to 30, under the auspices of the Film Critics’ Assn.

Nicolas Mouneu of Unifrance is organizing the French week at the
Ambassador (Soc. Exhibidora Financiera) and the pictures to be ex¬
hibited include “Gervaise,” Lola Montes,” “Paris Palace Hotel,” “The
Renegade,” .‘It; Happened in Aden,” and “Typhoon in Nagasaki.”

The Swedish Week includes three pictures directed by Inginar Berg¬
man, ‘The Treasure of Arne” fro/n a Selma Lagerlof novel, directed by
Gustaf Molander, another which Gosta Folke directed Which is q biopic
of Gustaf Dalen, Physics Nobel Prizewinner in 1912; another directed
by Alf Sjoberg from an Ingmar Bergman poem” by Arne Sucksdorff
won prizes at Cannes, Berlin and Edinburgh.

RKO, now absorbed, by General Tire & Rubber, proved one of Wall
Street’s “best bets”, when the film company had its own listing on the
New York Stock Exchange. RHM Associates, which publishes a market
analysis sheet, pointed out this week that an investment of $500 in RKO
warrants would have meant a return of $104,000 in four years for the
investor.

Warrants, which entitled the owner to buy stock at $15 pgr share,
were trading on the Exchange at 6l4g. each. The stock was selling at
only $2.50 per share, thus the warrants were of no immediate value.

However, by 1946 the stock was up to $28 per share and the trading
value of the warrants was up to $13 per. That’s $13 for each 6V4c.
invested: All 'a matter of knowing when to buy and when’ to sell:

Weary Madrid film Critics are preparing to clash with local distrib¬
utors to get rid of present Monday-Thursday film premiere tradition.
With statistics: in hand, critics complain that, of 64 films first-nighted
in Madrid during initial three months this year, 38 opened on Mondays
and 21 on Thursdays. ^ .

Fernandez Cuenca, dean of local film scribes, asks his YA readers
not to envy the lucky critic who gets to see all the movies on the cuff.
Covering film openings nowadays, he says, is a prodigious task that
requires more legwork than brainwork. .

Cuenca, a motion picture historian of no repute*,' is unable to^explain
how the Monday-Thursday premiere tradition originated, nor has he
found anyone in the industry with the answer. He pleads for a spread-
the-work-other-days reform.

George L. Killion, president of American President Lines and a di¬
rector of Loew's Inc., has receivfed an apology from San Francisco Ex¬
aminer columnist Herb Caen for publishing a remark allegedly attrib¬
uted to Killion. Caen had said Killion was annoyed by Clifton Webb’s
huffiness with a ’ photographer at Frisco’s Romanoff’s and attributed
Killion as saying, “Find out if this guy’s with MGM. We’re having a di¬
rectors meetifig Tuesday and I’ll see that he’s fired.” In a letter to
Killion, Caep said: “Well, one of my ‘completely reliable sources’ will
now have to' be relegated to the ‘heretofore reliable’ file.* I am sorry
it happened and I hope the item did not cause you embarrassement.”

A device to streamline the food’ service at drive-ins has been put
on the market by the Radio Corp of America’s theatre and sound prod¬
ucts department. Called “Dine-a-Com,” the gadget is an inter-communi¬
cation system involving individual talk-back speakers for cars con¬
nected to a master console located in the order-taking room of the
drive-in restaurant. Via this device, a patron can place his order
from his car seat by pressing a button and contacting the master
console operator. System is also supplied with an automatic record
player and a radio tuner to keep the patrons supplied with music
while waiting for their food deliveries during the intermission.

Personnel at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas can find out what
films are playing where, feature time and stars, and what’s on tap in
athletic and service club events merely by dialing the telephone . Two
electronic technicians, A.l.C. Darryl B. Snead, and A.l.C. Keath Cor-
neilson, conceived the idea with a machine called the Mackenzie Pro¬
gram Repeater. Operating on the same principal as a telephone time
service, the machine* goes on automatically at 8 a,m. and turns itself off
at 9 p.m. daily. Information is kept current through daily recordings.

In an effort to convince its sales force that its product is equal and
perhaps superior to that of its rivals, Metro has prepared a chart
giving the rundown of the films being released by each of eight rival
companies from March to July. The chart, shown at the company’s
recent Chicago sales convention and reproduced in its house organ,
gives a month by month tabulation of the pictures and stars of each
picture to be released by the major firms during the five-month period.

Theatre employes, as well as personnel of other business establish¬
ments and institutions, would have their minimum wage scale increased
to $1 an hour under a new bill filed in the Vermont Legislature, It is
estimated that the proposed law would affect approximately 13,000
establishments and bring pay increases to nearly 90,000 workers. %

Decca Records has picked up another 3,3d0 shares of Universal
Pictures last month, to tighten control. Decca now owns 743,785 shares
°*,P common, according to the latest monthly report of “insider trans¬
actions” issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A bill which would have allowed Vermont municipalities to regulate
outdoor advertising without the establishment of zoning has been with¬
drawn in the House of Representatives of the Legislature here.

It’s open season on Hollywood’s
Production Code and the set of
morality standards /appears the tar¬
get. of brickbats, from various direc¬
tions. The barrage dottffes from
both those who think the Code .is
antiquated and should be scuttled
and those who contend there has
been too much tendency toward
liberalization.

Recently Variety detailed in a
Page 1 banner story the cuts made
in vintage but previously Code-ap^
proved feature productions before
local telecasters 1 would beam them
out to living rooms. This was a
curious twist, because in many in¬
stances in the recent past tv has
handled subjects which Were taboo
under Hollywood standards and ac¬
tually showed Old features which
did not get official censorship ap¬
proval. Indeed, the Pennsylvania
state censor found it necessary to
rule on pictures for theatres but
there was no such authorization re¬
quired for these same pictures be¬
ing shown on tv.

This obviously was a case of films
being “wrong” in theatres but all
right by the fireplace. And then,
came the reverse; Hollywood prod¬
uct was okayed by the Code and
the censors but subject to deletions
because local telecasters thought
the subject matter in some cases
too risque.

Within the film industry itself
the Code is among the top subjects
of controversy. There have been
pro and con about its functions in’
past, of course, but rarely has
there been such a concentration of
expressions of concern . about its
values.

United Artists, so-called “home”
of independent producers, particu¬
larly is involved and Max E. Young-
stein, UA v.p., is frank in his “and
you can quote me” N statements
about how “the Code should go
away.” The beef at UA is one
based on alleged discrimination,
the feeling beingthat UA’s compet¬
itors, sitting as the board of the
Motion Pictures Assn, of America,
are empowered to call the turns on
whether or not a UA picture wfll
be endorsed.

* .Warners had Code greenlighting
on “Baby Doll” , but ran into a Na-.
tional Legion of Decency “condem¬
nation”'"'with' the same picture.
There was corisiderable ado about
this and'thq picture proved a ktrong
boxoffice success. Same film com¬
pany now has “Untamed Youth”
with a Code okay but is making re¬
visions to suit the Legion. The
suspicion in this case is that the
Code would be to suspect on “lib¬
eralization” grounds if two pic¬
tures in a short space of time were
to be approved and then hit by a
rap from the Legion.

Erskine Caldwell, author of
“God’s Little Acre,” and Sidney
Harmon, who’s producing the
adaptation of that.novel, make it
clear they’re completely indifferent
to the Code. They refused.to sub¬
mit the script, which is customary
procedure, and intend to have the
picture made as they see fit. If it
receives a Code seal, that’s all
right; if not,* that’s all right, too.

Indie film-maker Edward Small
is engaged in a donnybrook with
Code administrator Geoffrey Shur-
lock over dope addiction scenes in
Small’s “Monkey on My Back,”
Barney Ross biopic. Small insists
that the scissoring demanded by
Shurlock is not in keeping with
the “spirit” of the* Code and would
unnecessarily impair the effect of
his picture. Shurlock couldn’t see
it this way, refused to grant Code
approval and an appeal is to be
taken by Small.

Otto Preminger is not particu¬
larly concerned, he says, whether
the Code continues to exist or not.
Any producer dealing in immoral¬
ity is. not a commercial success
to begin with, so there’s no need
for a Code, argues Preminger. It
was this producer’s picture, inci¬
dentally, which was thumbs-downed
by the Code but which was given
' a Legion sanction. The film was
j “Man With the Golden Arm” and
| because of the Code action, UA, |

$300,000 Pictures Gross Expectancy
Same as Film-Katzman

Scots Scoff Pseudo-Burr

By GORDON IRylNG

Edinburgh, April 23.

Scotland’s fini critics got a
lot . of giggles at the phoney
Scot accents in RKO pic “The
Day They Gave Babies Away.”
A trade show audience was
tickled by attempts of Glynis
Johns and Cameron Mitchell
to speak in what they or direc¬
tor must suppose is authentic
Scotch.

Scots don’t talk of Bobbie
Burns, or of babbies. And
they don’t'use the word “lass”
in every sentence. Pic looks
set for some stormy passages
when Scot audiences begin .to
see it. If there’s one thing a
Scotsman cannot tolerate, it’s
. non-Scots trying to speak in
his own accent..

Footnote: Scotland’s nation¬
al poet is Robert Burns. He is
known as just that in his own
country. Only Englishmen and
overseas people talk of Bobbie
Burns! * /

Jap Hydroelectric
Borrows Film Yen

Tokyo, April 30.

Agreement has been' reached for
a second American film loan to
Japanese hydroelectric power de¬
velopment companies. Involved are
2,400,000,000 yen ($6,060,606) from
the U. S. major companies’ accumu¬
lated yen account which, as of
March 1, 1957, amounted to 3,700,-
000 yen ($10,277,778).,

Deal was worked out here by Irv¬
ing Maas, Far Eastern supervisor
for the Motion Picture Export
Assn., and agreed to by Tagashi
Ishida, director of the Finance
Ministry’s Foreign Exchange Con¬
trol. Formal signing • is due in
about two weeks.

+ Producer Sam Katzman, the pro¬
totype of the gag about the guy who
laughed all the way to the bank,
contends that the average $1,000,-
000 picture made today is a bust
unless* it contains a gimmick that
attracts the public., 'Tf it costs a
$1,000,000 or $300,000, it’ll wind up
• with the same gross in today’s mar¬
ket,” Katzman insists.

The Columbia producer, known
for his successful potboilers, has no
illusions about the type of product
he makes. He is first and foremost
a businessman and judges his suc¬
cess solely by the profits his films
bring in. “A picture that makes
money is a good picture—whether
it is artistically good or bad,” ac¬
cording to Katzman. “I’m in the
five and dime business and not in
the Tiffany business,” he said in
.New York last week. .“I make pic¬
tures for the little theatres around
the country.”

Katzman’s pictures are rarely
budgeted over $500,000 and most of
them are made for considerably
less, the range being $250,000 to
$500,000. In a period of some 12
years at Columbia where he super¬
vises his own unit, he has made ap¬
proximately 110 pictures. Accord¬
ing to Katzman, not a single one of
these films has lost money and, on
an average, each has grossed about
$1,000,000. Occasionally he comes
up with a real blockbuster in terms
of revenue. For example, the re¬
cent “Rock Around the Clock”
grossed $4,000,000. Katzpian’s films
also have an unusual longevity. He
notes, for example, that at least
40% of the 110 pictures he has
made are* still in release some¬
where.

Up to about two years ago, Katz¬
man’s specialties were harem
(“bosom and sand”), swashbuck¬
lers, western, action, and prison
pictures. He ground out these pic¬
tures at the rate of about 10 a year,
producing them in a-period of from
four to 10 weeks. Since these type
of pictures are now available on
television, he has fdund that the
general public will no longer pay
to see them'

A- second loan, amounting to
Y700,000,00d ($1,944,444) out of the
U. S. distributors’ resident account,
also wi^l be made available to Japa¬
nese power development projects.
Loan is for four years at a 3.3%
interest rate. It’s included in the
$6,060,000 total.

Two years ago, the American
companies granted their first loan
to Japanese hydroelectric power
development. It was said at the
time that no further such deals
would be made, by MPEA. It ap¬
peared, however, that another loan
was the only way in which the film
companies could get their money
out.

As an incentive for the $6,000,-
000, the Japanese have agreed to a
“bonus” remittance of a reported
$3,700,000 or* 1,300,000,000 yen.
According to Maas, the actual fig¬
ure exceeds that total.

Terms accepted by Maas involve
a loan to the power development
company of $6,060,000 for a six-
year period at 3.3%. interest per
annum, of which .3% will go to
the trust companies involved in the
loan. This percentage represents
their commission. Repayment of
the loan will start in 1960 and will
be in dollars on a semi-annual ba¬
sis. In this the loan follows close¬
ly the terms originally worked out
in 1955.

The $1,944^000 loan sets some¬
thing of a precedent in that it’s the
first time that such a disposal of
the resident account has been per¬
mitted.

In New York, company execs
said the $6,000,000 loan was grant¬
ed with a better remittance pro¬
portion than last time.

As a result, he has switched his
policy and has embarked on a pro¬
gram of topical films geared for
the 15 to 25-year-old age group.
He observes the trends carefully
and scans -the newspaper headlines
thoroughly. “Every picture I make
now,” he says, “has a selling gim¬
mick aimed at the young audience.”
Following hk> successful “Rock
Around the Clbck,” he’s coming up
with “Calypso Heat Wave” to take
advantage of the current calypso
trend. Also on his schedule is
“The Tijuana Story,” a prostitution
and dope yarn; “Escape From San
Quentin,” “Too Young.”’ a story of
voung marriage; and pictures about
hot rods, horror stories, science fic¬
tion, and jazz. This year he has in¬
creased his schedule and will pro¬
duce a total of 14 films.

Katzman says he captures the
pulse of the young set by taking to
his 23-year-old daughter and 18-
year-old son. He maintains that
his pictures are the “bread and
butter” pictures of the industry.
He insists that he has no desire to
make a prestige picture or an ar¬
tistic success. “I don't get ulcers
with the type of pictures I make,”
he concludes.

Hit $1,500,000 Week At
Columbia International

Columbia’s international depart¬
ment, headed by Lacy Kastner,
racked up billings of over $1,500,-
000 during the week ended April
13. Special Sales-drive effort ac¬
counted for the unusually high
revenue.

as distributor, resigned from the
MPAA.

Reportedly sounding off in pri¬
vate against the Code is Billy Wild¬
er, producer-director of “Love in
the Afternoon,” an Allied Artists
release. Deletion of several se¬
quences were demanded and Wild¬
er reluctantly complied.

Figure also is seen as further
evidence of how the foreign market
is growing in money importance, in
relation to domestic.

Col’s total gross last year,
amounting to $92,000,000, broke
down as follows: domestic rentals,
$42,000,000; foreign, $39,000,000.
and Screen Gems, the televisior
subsidiary, $11,000,0.00

18__ _ P / ^RIE'tY __Wednesday, May. 1, 1957

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

A Rainbow Finale To Career

A “Hermann Wobber Golden ,
Jubilfee” sales drive will be
put on by 20th-Fox in the 11
West Coast and Rocky Moun¬
tain states along with Hawaii
and Alaska to mark the vet
. western division manager’s 50
years in the.filmbiz.

Drive, which spans the five
weeks from May 26 through
June 29, also marks the retire¬
ment of Wobber which goes
into effect July 1. Wobber will
continue with the. company in
an advisory capacity after
that, headquarters at the San
Francisco branch.

By WILLIAM STEIF
San Francisco, April 30.

Herman Wobber, division, man¬
ager of the 11 Western states for
20th Century-Fox, sat in his pleas¬
ant office on Frisco’s Film Row the
other day and said:

“I’m going to retire in a few
months. I'll stay on in an advisory
capacity. Don’t you think it's about
time I have some fun?”'

He volunteered:

“I’ll be 78 in June, born in San
Francisco in ’79.”

He smiles when he says it. And
be smiles when he recalls that
more than 50 of his 77 years of life
have been spent in the film .busi¬
ness. He makes some of the latter-
day “pioneers’’ look like tinhorns.

“I’d gone up to the Klondike in
*97,” he says, “grubbing for gold.

I came back and went in with my
brothers, who were in, the station¬
ery business. The nickelodeons
were just getting started and in
1907 we opened, the first downtown
nickelodeon in San Francisco—it
was the Unique, on Market Street.

“I’ve been in films ever since.
That was my baby.”

“In 1912,” he recalls, “I read an
ad in Variety. Adolph Zukor was
starting Famous Players. HO’d just
obtained the first player, Sarah
Bernhardt, and the first play,
‘Queen Elizabeth,* and he was sell¬
ing states’ rights. I was a first cus¬
tomer.” 0

Around 1920 Wobber went to
work for Paramount as its first
Western states manager.

Tried To Buy UFA

Among his recollections of the
1920’s:

“I had an assignment to try to
buy out UFA, in Germany, the big¬
gest. film company in the world out¬
side the U.S. and a company that
had it ‘ on everybody, technically.
We didn’t buy ’em out, though I
spent four to six months a year
for four successive years in Europe,
but we loaned them a lot of money
and, in combination with Metro,
made a distribution deal and
brought over a lot of directors and
players—the first was Emil Jan-
nings, we brought him over in a
film called ‘Variety.’ ”

Then there was the Paramount
deal with the Columbia Broadcast¬
ing Systemr.

“We bought a . half-interest in
CBS for $4,000,000; made the deal
with Paley, but instead Of giving
CBS money we gave them stock.
The only condition was that the
stock, then selling around 60,
should hit 75 before the year was
out. We figured there’d be no
trouble about that. We could see
our Stock going "to 110, 125—after
all, we were making 14-15-16 mil¬
lion a year. Well, the stock went
up to 73V6, a couple thousand
shares traded could have rigged
the market enough eo that it’d hit
75. But it never made it and
skidded down and down and a year
later we had to give back the CBS
stock. We’d foreseen using our
stars on radio, and so on, but . . .
what do you * think that stock’s
worth now? A couple of hundred
million?”

Drive For Ready Cash

“Five banks had a million each
loaned to Paramount and they con¬
certed a call for the five million
to Zukor. Zukor didn’t know
which way to turn and went out to
Hollywood to shut down produc¬
tion, claiming costs were too high.
But the real reason for shutting
production was the call from the
banks. So I \ftent out and put on
the first and I’ll say the most suc¬
cessful drive the industry’s ever
had. Practically every theatre in
the country played pur product and
in five or six weeks we had the
nve million ’in cash and paid the
hanks off.” •

“In the late ’20’s,” he says, “we
were busy putting up theatres

everywhere, Paris, London, all
over the world. We were build¬
ing the biggest chain in the world.

“Zukor came out here and saw
Bill Fox’s. (5,000-seat) Fox Theatre
and told me, ‘This is going to be
the’ battleground.’’

... “I bought 137V6 feet just west
of the St. Francis Theatre on Mar¬
ket Street and got plans for a huge
theatre, underground tunnels and
all the rest. Price of the property
was $750,000.

“The company put up $300,000
and I arranged a $450,000 loan,
from the San Francisco Bank
(now a keystone in Transamerica’s
First Western chain). But the di¬
rectors and the company were so
busy building theatres one place
and another that they kept stalling
me when I’asked about the $450,-
000. So finally the banker said
he’d take my personal signature
and my wife’s on the paper and
we signed—the title went to Para¬
mount.”

Then came the dawn. The com¬
pany went through bankruptcy.

“The stockholders sued the di¬
rectors for $16,000,000 and I was
left holding a piece of paper say¬
ing I owed $450,000. The direc¬
tors finally settled for $3—$4,000,-
000—Zukor went on a salary
with half his pay going to the
quarter-million he owed, Sam Katz
was in for a quarter-million and
so on.

“John Hertz, the Yellow Cab fel¬
low, had been called in. He was
rough but very square. He said
he’d knock $100,000 off the debt,
but that still left me $350,000 in
the hole. Well, I kept pestering
Hertz for months and finally he
agreed Ao give me the titles—it
wasn’t worth, a nickel but that
seemed fair to me and I agreed
and took it and worked with the
land and eventually sold it,’five
or six years later, for a half-mil¬
lion.

“But I never want to go through
that again.”

The Road to Fox

After his “personal trouble”
Wobber left Paramount and joined
Fox.

“Sid Kent, then president of
Fox, was a great friend of mine.
We had lunch downtown in New
York with Aldrich of the Chase
Bank, wh*h then owned Fox, and
Kent-told me he Wanted me in at
the proper time. .

“A little later he called me. He
Wanted to get the Skouras Broth¬
ers in to help, too, .but they were
working in Pennsylvania after-
they’d made—and lost—$7,000,000
by selling out in St. Louis to War¬
ner Brothers and then sinking the
whole $7,000,000 with Goldman,
Sachs.

“They weren’t very happy in
Pennsylvania, but they had a few
theatres in New York, too, and
they couldn’t see coming to the
Coast. Kent had me make a sur¬
vey of the Fox properties and per¬
sonnel and they stacked up pretty
well on paper. We sent this to the
Skouras’, but still they weren’t
convinced and Kent and myself
finally went east and talked them
into coming west.”

For four years Wobber headed
the whole Fox distribution setup,
out of New York, “but I never
moved my family back because I
Jaad interests here and really
didn’t want to leave.”

He adds:

“They wanted me to go on the
board of directors but I decided
against it, said- I’d just peddle
their' pictures—I’d ' been • burned
once already with Paramount.”

During World War II the Army
borrowed Wobber and he, with
Morris Kaplan, made a study -
which completely changed the
Army’s—and later, the Navy’s—
method of training film distribu¬
tion.

Wobber admits the film business
is “rough, but it gets in your
blood . , . it’s a combination of
business and showmanship I love.”

Today’s exhibitors, he thinks,
aren’t exercising enough showman¬
ship, enough exploitation, on their
own. All they’re doing, he claims,
is to sit on the sidelines of the
business and bleat about their
troubles..

“We’ll make 55 pictures this
year, probably 65 next year, and
Uncle Sam’s helped us, uncon-

PfiRIETY

PICTURES

19

sciously, by making us write off
our films so fast. That Way,-the
film library’s worth' maybe $7,000,-
000 to $10,000,000.

(20ths U.S.-Canadar ’56 Rentals
$60,289,658-% From Year Before

Twentieth, he feels, is “the luck¬
iest’ company in Hollywood, too.

’ “When Winnie Sheehan was pro¬
duction boss he wanted to make
Westerns and got us ,to buy a lot
of hillsides in the San Fernando
Valley—no place to set up a tri¬
pod, but pretty,

' “Then, 20 years ago, we also
bought at a relatively cheap price
120 acres adjacent to our lot.
Thai’s where the oil is.

“I suppose our property today is
worth $50-$60 million, not count¬
ing the oil rights which, of course,
we’d reserve. You can build tall
buildings there, now, and I’ve
heard a rumor, not confirmed mind
you, that an insurance company’s
offered us $50 million for our land.

“We have a deal, with Universal
Consolidated Oil Co. to' slant-drill
from our property under the (Hill-
crest) golf course, and we’ve also
made deals with hundreds of
’'home-owners nearby for slant¬
drilling, Our downtown property
has oil, too.

“We can go to Warners’’ to make
oUr pictures. They’re on cheap
land and don’t have expensive
buildings to maintain. That’d cut
our overhead.” -

But that, adds Wobber, is spec¬
ulation.

Right now, fit and v hearty at 77,
he’s out for a little fun—assuming,
of coursfe, that his new “advisory”
duties, to 20th aren’t full-time.

20th Options

Continued from page 3 ——

dy Adler and the members of Skou¬
ras’ “cabinet.” • 1

Initial reaction to the plan at
20th has been something less than
enthusiastic.

If the stockholders -approve the
option idea, it’ll then be u£ to the
board to designate within one
month the persons to whom op¬
tions are to be granted. All 14
officers of the corporation are eli¬
gible as would be a number of key
employees who are not officers or
directors. Shares which have not
been optioned within the month
after approval by stockholders, or
which were covered by options as
to which all conditions had not
been satisfied within five months
after the date of the option, can
not thereafter be optioned by the
board.

Under the plan, each option
would be exercisable at a price
equal ’ to the closing price on the
N. Y. Stock Exchange the day the
option agreement becomes effec¬
tive, plus $1. Stock,' closed at
$26.25 • on the Exchange April 22.
No option would-be exercisable
prior to Jani 1, 1958, or later than
six years from the date of the
granting of the option., Option
holder can’t sell his shares for at
least two years.

The 5% debentures will be in ne¬
gotiable form with 5% interest pay¬
able semi-annually. Notes will be
redeemable in five years at par,
with accrued interest. They will
be unsecured, and there will be no
trustee.

The retooling job that 20th-Cen-
tury-Fox Film prexy Spyros
Skouras has done for the company
has achieved these highlights:

.1." Instead Of one studio topper
the company has four former heads
of production working on his com¬
pany’s lot;

2. Resulted in a production line
which may see up to 55 pictures
produced in 1957, and could call
for 60-65 pictures in '5.;

3. If the 1958 potential is
achieved Skouras envisions a $125,-
000,000-$150,000,000 gross po¬
tential. This f-57) year may ex¬
ceed $100,000,000.

In Darryl F. Zanuck, Jerry Wald,
David O. Selznick and the just add¬
ed Henry Ginsberg (Rock Hudson)
independent setups, -20th-Fox thus
has four former studio production
toppers on one lot, with of course
Buddy Adler in charge of produc¬
tion of the home-grown product.

Of the 55 pictures envisioned for
'57, Skouras can call on his pro-

Sunday Film Issue

Columbia, S. C., April 30.

• Separately South Carolina’s ag¬
ing Blue Laws are threatened and
will get a court test from a com¬
munity which wishes to show mov¬
ies oh Sunday. Greenville, S. C.
City Council has filed briefs with
the Supreme Court seeking to in¬
validate what it terms “discrim¬
inatory” blue laws.

It will be argued that the stat¬
utes are unfair now, because they
permit Sunday commercial amuse¬
ments' in some communities and
outlaw them in others.

Par For Par

■■ ■■ —- Continued from page 5 ,

Week, the pre-Christmas period,
etc., when the companies hold
back on their new, big pictures.

The Right Of It?

In. any event it’s Par against all
other top studios bn the matter of
numerical picture turnout and
future profits statements should
do much to establish who’s right.

Par is the only major company
Which' refused to try out the
Cinemascope widescreen process
developed by 20th-Fox. Par felt,
and continues to feel, that the
C’Scope accent on width means a
sacrifice of height and for this rea¬
son engineered its own Vista-
Vision system. V’Vision has
caught on in the industry limit-
edly, in comparison with C’Scope
but Par is satisfied with the results
nonetheless.

While 'other companies have a
hands-off policy regarding home
toll television, at least at present,
Par has been plugging away with
vigor .for its Telemeter operation
and has been doing this for the
past several years. Par’s idea is
to be in on the ground floor when
*jftd if‘this new electronics show
business becomes a money : makng
proposition. And exhib complaints
that pay-as-you-see tv might put
them out of business are falling
on deaf ears.

To a certain extent this parallels
the standard tv situation. Par
moved in on tv years ago, and was
sole film company to do so, with the
acquisition of a large block of
stock in DuMont, which is Still
owned. This investment, amount¬
ing originally to only $10,000, has
paid off in. hefty fashion, the Par
interest in DuMont now being
Worth well over $10,000,000 it’s
figured.

Par’s diversification has taken
other forms, of course, including
operation of station KTLA, Los
Angeles; tv production activity
(now in the blueprint stage), the
rental of studio facilities to tv pro¬
ducers, a stake. in the Lawrence
color tv tube, music publishing
(Famous) and the recent purchase
week of Dot Records.

ducers “to give me 12 blockbust¬
ers” (of the type of “Farewell to
Arms,” “Island in the Sun”); 18
good but not as costly entries (viz.,
“Wayward Bus”) and a strictly
budget line like the 25 from Robert
L. Lippert.

Skouras thus is no longer de¬
pendent on any one producer, with
the diversity of source material.

In addition, among the' other
plusses retooled by JBkouras is the
50% ownership in £fn independent
tv chain (National Television As¬
sociates) and the big South African
holdings (Schlesinger interests in
theatres, insurance companies, real

'^On the subject of realty the
booming Beverly Hills property
values has placed a 50 to 100 mil¬
lion evaluation on the Santa Mon-
ica-Pico Blvd. lot, not to mention
the intangible potentials of the oil
now being pumped from the Fox
lot, and which may accelerate mov¬
ing 20th’s production to some other
Studio’s facilities.

Having gone a long way to solve
the problem of adequate product
supply, 20th-Fox now is confident
that, in the future, “earnings from
film production will be in proper
proportion to the earnings from
the other branches of our busi¬
ness:”

This is what 20th prexy Spyros
P. Skouras last week told stock¬
holders in the company’s annual
report in which he documented the
improvement.

During the first three quarters'
of 1956, 20th showed a $l,!o9,000
'loss before taxes on its own pro¬
duced feature films. In the last
quarter, the trend was reversed
with earnings before taxes running
to $1,086,000..

As for the first quarter of 1957,
Skoujras said earnings would run
to $900,000 before Jtaxes, with the
second quarter promising better
taxes, with the second quarter
promising better returns.

Report showed domestic (U, S.
and Canada) film rentals for 1956
at $60,299,658 against $57,273,331
in 1955. However, that figure in¬
cludes income from television.
Foreign rentals dropped to-$52,-
481,211 against $53,221,020 in 1955.
It’s pointed out that 1955 included
53 weeks compared with 52 in 1956.
Total rentals came to $112,780,869
in ’56 against $110,494^351 the
prior year.

Net earnings for 1956 were put
at $6,198,419, a slight rise over the
$6,025,039 of 1955, Per-share earn¬
ings were $2.34 compared to $2.28
in ’55.

Report put the gross receipts of
20th’s foreign theatre circuits at
approximately $37,000,000 for a
net of about $700,000 in excess of
$713,500 in dividents received dur¬
ing the year.

As for 20th’s oil drilling opera¬
tions, stockholders were‘told that
11 wells to date had delivered 1,-
331,346' barrels of oil and 2,669,-
903 metered cubic feet of gas for
a total .value of $3,920,589. 2tfth’s
royalty for the moment is 11^%.
Once royalty participation rises to
51.32% of gross revenue less one-
half of operating costs which, on
the basis of current prices and
production, should be in excess of
$1,600,000 annually, additional
wells will be drilled.

As of Feb. 28, . 1957, drilling
costs borne by Universal Consoli¬
dated ran to $4,873,549, leaving un¬
recovered costs of $1,737,078.

Cannes Prizes

Continued from page 5

young man of another social strata
are advance-doped as hot contend¬
ers.

Russia has a telling entry with
“Sorok Pervyi” (The Forty First)
about a bolshevik girl who cap¬
tures a White Russian during the
Revolution. They fall in love but
she finally kills him at the end
when rescue comes.

Japan’s best bet may be “Shiros
Sammyahu” (The Roof of Japan),
a color documentary on the moun¬
tains of the country, and “Kome”
(The Rice People) a drama among
the poor workers. India has a full
length documentary “Gotoma The
Buddha,” in English, tracing the
story of Buddha through paint¬
ings, sculptor and enacted portions.

Sweden’s “Det Sjuncle Inseglet”
(The Seventh Seal), is thought
likely to impress. It is about a
14th century knight returning from
the Crusades who engages death
in a chess game during a black
plague. However he can not es¬
cape his destiny. Great Britain is
competing with “Yangtse Inci¬
dent” (reviewed in Variety
4/10/57), concerns a British ship
that ran a Red Chinese blotkade
during the revolution. Britain also'
is represented by Philip Leacock’s
“High Tide At Noon.”

Red China Withdraws

Last minute political troubles
hit the Cannes Film Fest (May 2-
17) when Red China pulled Out
after hearing that Nationalist
China Would, also attend. . Peking
sent a communique declaring that
this move infringed .on China’s
sovereignty and integrity.

Universum Films Corp. has been
authorized to conduct a motion
picture business in New York, with
capital stock of 200 shares, no par
value. Irwin Belenken is director
and filing attorney.

How Skouras ‘Re -Tooled’ 20th- Fox

[FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY]

20

PICTURES

vssaeff

Wednesday, May T» 1957

World on a G-String

s Continued from page %

talking them out v of their repair
bills, leaVing spurious family heir¬
looms as pledges in lieu of money;
the shagy niteries which “sneaked”
gambling (with obliging collabora¬
tion from lenient local gendar¬
merie ) ;~her father-* who was a Seat¬
tle newspaper reporter and her
Uncle Fred, who was managing ed¬
itor of. the Seattle Times, are but a
few, -

A Billing Is Born

Hose Louise became Rose Lee
and just as quickly Gypsy Rose
Lee while the sign-man was spell¬
ing out her billing on the marquee
of the Gaiety Theatre, Toledo.
The electric change was impelled
by fear of “what Grandpa in
Seattle will think when he hears
I'm in burlesque.”

A leotard under a hula costume
was her introduction to the strip.
The manager's wife, who was .the
No. 1 stripper—ajid a No. 1 lush-
goon found hersfelf eclipsed by
Gypsy, with Mother’s resourceful
costuming aiding and abetting.

This was burlesque in its hum¬
blest forms. The “actors” did their
stuff with the perfunctory matter-
of-factness of a plumber or ribbon
clerk. True, Tessie, one of the
cast, took pride that only she and
Carrie Finnell had a certain mam¬
mary “talent” which was unique in
•how business.

The handsome costumes, the
flesh-colored nets,, the revealing
leotards, the top banana and his
aides’ stock comedy scenes, the
flirtation business with the bald-
headed row as the showgirls sinu¬
ously paraded from podium to run¬
away for the bumps and grinds—
these were a new brand of show
business to both mother and
daughter. But Mama comforted
her that a lot of big stars started
in burlesque.

Miss Lee doesn’t name-drop un¬
less the vaude personalities, great
or small, had immediate bearing on
her life and times. Fannie Brice,
Cantor Josef Rosenblatt, Sophie
Tucker, Olga Petrova, Alice Brady,
fall within that orbit.

Cantor Josef Rosenblatt

The dramatic manner in which
the great cantor, during his vaude
tours for Keith, whammed his au¬
diences is detailed because the
ever aggressive Mama wondered
why the “Dainty June Company”
as the act was billed at the time,
had to yield headline billing to
him. “Religion or no religion,”
said Mother, “he's going to have
one hell of a time following us,”
she counseled her brood, and the
manner in which the act clicked
seemed to support her prophecy;
But when Cantor Rosenblatt came
on cold, in a shabby blue suit, sang
his repertoire; and walked straight
‘ out the' stagedoor to the local
synagogue, as was ' his wont, the
frantic stage manager exhorted,
“Find him for God's sake before
we have a riot on . our hands.” But
the cantor never did an encore.
Mother agreed it was the greatest
piece of showmanship she had ever
seen but “he could be the biggest
thing in vaudeville,” she said, “if
he’d just dressed up the act a lit¬
tle.”

The pitfalls of New York, includ¬
ing a harridan called “F. E. Gor¬
ham”; the kindnesses of smalltime
agent Jack Linder; life in th^
Langwell Hotel on 45th St,, a
haven for vaudevillians; an audi¬
tion for the great S. L. (Roxy)
Rothafel (and a $750-a-week date,
at last); the hijacking which they
suspected “F. E.” had instigated,
finally chased them back on the
road.

As “Madame Rose’s Dancing
Daughters” experienced more tra¬
vail en route, §he consoled herself
that “nothing will ever take the
place of flesh.” Mother felt that,
like radio, which she observed
didn’t “kill vaudeville,” so too the
talking pictures “will never take
the place of flesh.”

The: act became “Rose Louise
and Her Hollywood Blondes.” Gyp
said, “I’ll be the only brunette in
the act,” and her mother conceded,
but after an abortive attempt to
invade Mexican variety territory
where, it was theorized, the Latins
“would go big for blondes,” the
well nigh stranded act found itself,
in Kansas City which became his¬
toric k as the burlesque turning
point in the author's career.

It was a filthy seamy theatre, but
compared to the filthy seamy
Cuban Gardens, a nitery of unholy
antecedents, Madame Rose' took

solace that at least the act was
working in a theatre.

Burlesk’s Big Time—Minsky’s

But all this was a^ buildup for
the Big Time of Burlesque—Billy
Minsky's Republic Theatre on New
York’s 42d. St. The script changed
weekly but'Gypsy Rose Lee’s v name
remained indef. One week' the
script was called “Yetta Lostit
From Bowling” and another week
it was "Ada Onion From Ber¬
muda,” “Lotta Schmaltz From
Greece”- or “Iva Schnozzle' From
Red Hook.” But always, from
their room in the Cameo Apart¬
ments, Mama . and Gyp saw . their
billing. The columnists, The New
Yorker, Town & Country, the crit¬
ics, cafe society, a blueblood ro¬
mance (merely identified as Eddy)
made her good copy.- Mother still
felt, “The moment vaudeville
comes back we’ll be ready for. it,”
although not blind to the realities
that. Gyp was destined for special
prominence in her new-found en¬
vironment in the. heart of Times
Square.

True, Minsky worked the chorus
girls 84 hours a week, including
rehearsals and Saturday midnight
performances, at $21 a week, and
they had to .supply their own G-
strings. If they did a specialty or
a strip they got $5 extra but had
to provide their own costumes.
Minsky stressed that burlesque had
cradled many stars in the past.
Minsky bragged his line were
“good girls.” One of them told
the chronicler of this memoir that
they were too tired to be anything
else. “It takes time to be bad,”
she' said, “and who the hell’s got
time.”

Personalities

When the censors were around,
the stage manager passed the cue
“full net pants” on all strippers
and “keep you naval'covered, also
no bumps or grinds,” but this
happened only periodically.

Mqther’s domestic life jgravitated
to Rego Park, but the Long Island
suburban life was not for either.
Later Miss Lee dug in swanky
Gramercy Park/ Eventually the
author and Erik wound up in their
East 63d St. private house with its
26 rooms, seven baths, a marble
.floor in the drawingroom, a pool
in the patio, and an elevator to take
them up and down the four floors.

But “civilian life” was not for
them in Rego park. (“Civilian”
has become a pet Mike Todd word
in describing non-pros.) Miss Lee’s
gallery of 40 pages of pictures,
from the cradle to the headlines,
includes a page devoted to Michael
Todd’s* “Star and Garter” produc¬
tion, in which she starred. One
caption reads, “Mike often said*l
was the greatest no-talent star in
the business.”

Abbott & Costello, Jimmy Dugan,
Joey Faye and Jack Diamond were
the male principals. Inez Worth
was the prima. “Her mother, Myr¬
tle, and my mother almost went.
into business together,” Miss Lee
recalls, “but when they learned the
local gangsters frowned on ladies
selling home-made . gin, even
though it was direct from their
own bathtubs, they went into the
panoche fudge business instead.
Mother was sure gangsters
wouldn’t muscle in on that; there
was too little profit in it. In fact,
there was so /little profit in it
that Myrtle and Mother dissolved
partnership.”

Impresario Waxey Gordon

Another made-fo-order movie
scene is the show that mobster
Waxey Gordon whipped up, via
private Pullman, for some pals in
the Comstock (N.Y.) pen. It was
an all-star cast and, under existing
circumstances of .the day, many an
“invited” performer couldn’t de¬
cline participation, especially since
Gordon . was also a . generous im¬
presario for club dates of this sort.

“Among those who have kindly
consented to appear,” the invita¬
tional wire read, “are Jimmy Du¬
rante, A1 Jolson, Jaipfr Velez, Bill
Robinson, Jack Osterman, Mark
Hellinger, Florenz Ziegfeld,” The
wire was merely signed “W.”

It was computed that this one-
nighter to the Comstock gaol would
cost Gordon over $20,000.

It developed that the warden,
appreciative of the outer world’s
concern fqr his, guests, felt that a
stripper wasn't conducive to their
well-being. Host-rimpresario Waxey
could only- agree with him. But
Mother took it in the wrong light.
She felt that the warden looked
dowir Upon her daughter as a bur¬
lesque dancer,' shrieklngly pro¬

tested that “my daughter is a start.
I’ll sue him for every cent he owns.
Where is he? He won’t get away
with this.” Later on Mother saw
the wisdom of it alL

While she opened and closed in
Comstock, Waxey was not the for¬
getful type. Songsmith-producer
Lew Brown was casting a show for
Ziegfeld. The mobster cued Brown
on Miss Lee’s talents. It had the
working title of “Laid In Mexico”
and one blonde chorister righteous¬
ly protested, “I might as well be
working for Minsky with that title,”
but when it opened on Broadway
the show was billed as “Hot-Cha!”.
The cast held Bert Lahr, Lupe
Velez, Buddy Rogers—and Gypsy
Rose Lee. >

Miss Lee gives comeuppance to
her sister strippers, managers and
other contemporaries held in lowly
.‘ repute; Names are named through¬
out and in no uncertain manner.
But never is the. language gamey,
even in the more intimate intra¬
trade details.

‘ She is generous to the press and
her pressagents for making Gypsy
Rose Lee and its punned variations
synonymous with her calling.

The Ziegfeld Follies, a Fox Film
contract, the London Palladium,
the pluSh niteries of the Las Vegas
calibre, have been the cumulative
professional rewards of Louise
Hovick of Seattle — nicknamed
“Plug”—a chubby- kid in a Dutch
bob with peculiar teeth which real¬
ly got straightened out only when
Waxey Gordon, 20 years later, sent
her to his Times Square dentist.
Miss Lee makes a point that she
and Mother were circumspect about
fully reimbursing Mr. Gordon.

But Miss Lee had a talent for
publicity once she matriculated at
Minsky G-High. Odd McIntyre,
Town and Country, The New York¬
er, the cafe society set, the town
sophisticates suddenly became
Gypsy Rose Lee cultists.' While
“next to - Jules Verne, his (son
Erik’s) favorite literature is my
scrapbooks,” Miss Lee has done a
good job in her dedicated purpose
to make “our family history more
important.”

Perhaps" because the accent is on
“Memoir”, the author has tele¬
scoped more recent and early
events into almost brushoff propor¬
tions. Glossed over are her mar¬
riages, her romances, her tour in
t^at super-carnival called the Royal
American Shows, and other career
milestones. Not even made clear
is- the Spanish artist (Julio ‘ de
Diego) to whom she was married
for a decade or so. (Her second
marriage, in the ’40’s, was to actor
Alexander Kirkland; her first, to
Arnold Mizzy.) -

It’s an honest, unsparing docu¬
ment, extraordinary Americana, a
closeup on a doughty tribe, and
puts Miss Lee Into sharp focus as a
skillful writer. Her two preyious
works, titled “Mother Finds A
Body” and "The G-String Mur-,
ders,” were curtainraisprs to^the
fine scrivening job that Is called
“Gypsy.” It’s an apt title. There
is the feeling that the nomad has
come, home to roost for quite a
spell. It’ll make a fine ground
work for the stage, and the sub¬
sequent electronic showmanship
values called pix and video.

Manhattan Festivals

■ ■ ■ - Continued from page 4

seums and schools already often
sub-rent films either for less than
we charge or sometimes loan them

g (Subsidy is the method which
undoubtedly accounts for the rela¬
tive preeminence of documentary
films in Rurope over the U. S. and
( it is to be remarked that the ses¬
sions at the Metropolitan Museum
over the past weekend had their
being entirely thanks to a grant-in-
aid.)

During the question period, Carl
Beier, a tv and film director,, asked
if the televizing of a film hurt its
subsequent circulation. Dtatfteld
thought a prominent video booking
would end theatrical playdates for
a short but open up new organiza¬
tional and miscellaneous markets.
Other speakers stressed that, just
as fine music is frequently repeat¬
ed, so could fine film subjects be
repeated. "It’s not one exposure
and limbo” was a comment of Rob¬
ert Hudson, of the Ford Founda¬
tion Communications Centre in
Ann Arbor, Mich.

Critic Arthur Knight (Saturday
Review) recited the catalog sources
for the art film. Accuracy of in¬
formation, crtical evaluation where
(under rentals) no previewing was
possible were necessities not yet

adequately served. One of the best
art film ^directories with 1,600 titles
was published in Florence, Italy,
but is unavailable in English. Some
of ^ the most desirable are films
known to exist practically required
State Dept, intercession to get
them out of their remote European
vaults.

First Art Film in 1918?

An uncompleted Swedish item of
1918 was unspooled in the_. belief
it is the first art film ever made.
The man who made it' was de¬
nounced at the time for profaning
the temple, desperating genius, and
things like that.

Minnie Levenson of the Worces¬
ter Museum told the experience of
her institution in showing selected
subjects for ’ children in various;
age brackets. The hall stayed rath¬
er empty. Then the museum start¬
ed selecting foreign quality films,
theatrical features with which Wor¬
cester was unfamiliar. So great
was the ultimate, popularity of this
series that it led to the establish¬
ment of a commercial art theatre
in the town. The Museum gave up
its series' but actively cooperate?
with the theatre—swapping ..dis¬
plays regularly.

Last week’s meeting was the
third Art Films Festival. First
was in 1951 at Woodstock, N. Y.
The second at Hunter College. That
the Metropolitan is now in the act
is significant. Rockefeller Founda¬
tion funds made possible paid in¬
vitations to Paul Haesaerts and
Francis Bolen of Belgium, John
Read of London, Mary Meerson.
and Enrico Fulchlgnoni of Paris;
and Carl Nordenfalk of Sweden.
..Some 22 films on art were ex¬
hibited, culled from 200 submitted
world-around. Organizer of the
Festival,, Sidney Berkowitz, was
hospitalized and couldn’t attend.

Negro Adore

Confimued from voce 1 ^

film in which the Negro is 'shown
as a human being of pride and dig¬
nity, hundreds and thousands of
persons abroad come to the real¬
ization of America as a democracy
where the black man’s position is
improving and the well-advertised
wall of prejudice is gradually be¬
ing chipped away.

Poitier is current ,in Metro’s
“Edge of the City” which was
based on a teleplay. written spe¬
cially for him by Robert Alan
Aurthur. It was originally titled
“A Mari Is Ten Feet TalL” Story,
with mo race angles, concerns a
friendship between a whi|g and- a
Negro, both working on Jhe
docks. Upcoming is his “Some¬
thing of Value,” in-which he plays
an intelligent young Negro driven
into the JMau Mau. (See review
in current issue.)

Also coming up for Poitier are
“Mark of the Hawk,” with Eartha
Kitt and Juano Hernandez, and
“Band of Angels” with - Clark
Gable, which Warner Bros, will
release. In it he plays an intelli¬
gent young slave who revolts.
Story is backgrounded by the Civil
War.

■ Poitier, who is 30, originally ar¬
rived in New York from Florida
fwith $1.50 in his pocket. He got
his theatrical start with the Amer¬
ican Negro Theatre and came to
public attention with his role in
“Blackboard Jungle.” “That pic¬
ture was a good example of Holly-'
wood realizing the blessings of
mixed casting,” Poitier said. “The
presence of a Negro gave the-film
another dimension it otherwise
would not have had.”

‘Baby Doll’

: i——l Continued from pare 1

local Church put on free kiddie
shows at Easter time to compete
.with its own traditional children’s
holiday matinees.

It had been thought from the
very beginning that “Baby Doll”
would shape as more of a big-city
attraction. In fact, Warner Bros,
changed its advertising campaign
in line with this thinking. Picture
is expected to be a strong draw
abroad, where Kazan’s name is ap¬
preciated and the realism of this
type pf film pays off at the wickets.

Slips In With Snips

Memphis, April 30.
Memphis has followed example
of Atlanta and passed Warners’
“Baby Doll” after first banning it.

Compromise was effected by un¬
specified deletions.

‘Package Tours’ Ban

=- 1 * Continued from page 1 ^ 1

have to close. Much th6 same situa¬
tion exists with other shows.
Newspaper-Sponsored Treks
Thus far, .scheduled show tours
have been cancelled by the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer, the San Fran¬
cisco Examiner and a number of
other out-of-town newspapers that
sponsor such, operations ,on a
“strictly non-profit basis for promo-
tional reasons. Still other papers
have similar trips set, but are hold¬
ing plans in abeyance pending clar¬
ification of the situation.

Cooperating in the campaign to
have Commissioner O’Connell’s
ruling rescinded are the League of
N. Y. Theatres, Actors Equity, the
N. Y. Convention &r Visitors Bu¬
reau, hotel, railroad and airline
associations, etc. Injunction and
damage suits are being readied by
Alexander H. Cohen & Ralph A1-
swang, producers of “First Gentle¬
man,” and Cohen’s Theatre Subsid¬
iary, which operates Theatre Tours,
a package agency. The latter firm
suspended operations last Satur¬
day (27) as result of the Commis¬
sioner’s ban.

Significantly, the Shuberts are
taking no active part in the agita¬
tion. Although they operate 16
Broadway theatres and are thus
seriously affected, a Shubert offi¬
cial has confided that they are fear¬
ful of opposing the Commissioner
lest they be harassed with a suc¬
cession of violations under the fire
and building laws.

ShnberU’ Hands-Off

Despite the fact that theatre con¬
tracts call for mutual control of
tickets by the house and produc¬
tion, the Shuberts are insisting on
strict compliance with, the Commis¬
sioner’s ruling. ^ It’s reported that
they’ve been threatened with revo¬
cation of the licenses of all their
houses if any of their boxoffices
sells more than the maximum of
nine tickets to any individual or
group other than a licensed broker.

There appears to be a growing
belief among producers and thea¬
tre owners that the ticket broker*
are behind the Commissioner’s ac¬
tion. Jesse Moss, attorney for the
brokers’ association, denies this,
and says that the agencies merely
feel that if anyone has to be li¬
censed, all who handle theatre
tickets should be required to have
licenses.

He reveals that he rect | ;ly ob¬
tained a N. Y. State' charter for
N. Y. Ticket Assn. Inc., with the
specific purpose of handling the
package tour business, but indi¬
cates that the firm will probably
be disbanded. - He asserts that the
recent State law increasing ticket
agency commissions from $$1 to
$1.25 (plus tax) was merely an in¬
cidental part of the proposed bill
to permit travel and package
agencies to be licensed to sell
theatre tickets.. The latter meas¬
ure was defeated under pressure
from the travel bureaus, on the
ground that they don’t want the
License Commissioner to have ac¬
cess to their books and the right
to interfere in their business. The
package tour outfits were willing to
be licensed .and would still wel¬
come it, but the Commissioner has
declared that he’s not authorized
to issue a broker’s license to any
firm engaging in any otlier busi¬
ness.

The situation thus boils down to
the Commissioner’s, ban on the
sale of blocks of tickets to anyone
but licensed broker's, coupled with
a refusal to Issue brokers’ licenses
to package agencies. He has re¬
portedly reversed himself in the
last few days by allowing the pack¬
age tQur outfits to get tickets from
brokers. But the sponsoring out-
of-town newspapers are thus far
refusing to pay the broker’s fee.
' A parallel complication In the
controversy is the Commissioner’s
order forbidding the allotment of
tickets to brokers located in New
Jersey. Producers and theatre
owners don’t object to that, as it's
conceded that at least some of the
outfits are scalpers. But the
order also applies to Ramberger’s
department store in Newark,
which does a large, strictly legal
and extremely valuable business
in tickets for Broadway shows.

Cathay Organization In Singa¬
pore has introduced the idea of
selling hamburgers and coffee at
20-minute intermissions during
theJ'War and Peace” run.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PfasiEfr

SHEER

It’s Christmas in July
when hundreds of thea¬
tres hang up M-G-M’s
"Silk Stockings." Filled
with box-office appeal,
they’ll fill your house
with spectacular, zingy
entertainment!

MONEY EACTS:

1. "SILK STOCKINGS," the
two-year Broadway stage hit
on the screen in a BIG',
bouncy, CinemaScope and
Color production.

2. The wonderful story was
picked by Arthur Freed of
"American In Paris v fame for
his first independent offering
and he’s given - it the works.

3. Cole Porter’s magic music
and: lyrics. 13 of his top tunes,
plus new ones, including
"Ritz Rock ’n Roll.”

4. Another big triumph „ for
Fred Astaire and co-starring is
Cyd Charisse at her greatest.
Big talent cast includes Janis
Paige, Peter Lorre and others.

5. 'Smooth as "Silk Stockings"
promotion in the big-time
M-G-M manner. National
magazines,' newspapers,
radio, TV.

AN ARTHUR FREED PRODUCTION

Starring

FRED ASTAIRE
CYD CHARISSE

Silk

..JANIS PAIGE

PETER LORRE

-GE0R6E TOBIAS- JOSEPH BULOFF
JULES MINN

Screen Play by LEONARD GERSHE

and LEONARD SPIGELGASS

Suggested by "NINOTCHKA" by MELCHIOR LENGYEL

Music and Lyrics by COLE PORTER

Book of Original Musical Play by

GEORGE 8. KAUFMAN,

LEUEEN McGRATH
and ABE BURROWS

Produced on the Stage by CY F£UER and ERNEST H. MARTIN
in CINEMASCOPE and METR0C0L0R

Directed by RQUBEN MAMOULIAN

PICTURES

c 22

Distribs Seek Special Legislation To
Compensate War Loss in Philippines

Washington, April 30.

Legislation, compensating Ameri¬
can iilm companies for war dam¬
ages suffered in the Philippines,
was urged past weekend in a letter
to Sen. Olin D. Johnson (D., S. C.),
chairman of a Subcommittee on
Trading With the Enemy Act. His
subcommittee is considering war
claims legislation.

Letter was written , by Kenneth
Clark, vice president of the Motion
Picture Export Assn, on behalf of
the MPEA member companies—Al¬
lied Artists, Columbia, Loew’s,
Paramount, "ftKO, Republic, 20 th-
Fox, UA, Universal, and WB. Clark
made two basic points in the let¬
ter in which he called for justice
. for the companies:

1. Companies thought their war
losses was covered by : t P. L. 744,
which provides for recovery of
losses under Japanese sequestra¬
tion of bank accounts in the Philip¬
pines. However, the interpretation
excludes rental losses from U. S.
films exhibited during Nip occupa¬
tion of the Philippines. “In the cir¬
cumstance,” Clark wrote, “we have
no recourse but to turn to the Con¬
gress for a fair and just relief.”

(2.) The film industry is unique
in that its tangible assets Are mo¬
tion picture films of limited intrin¬
sic value. The real losses are intan¬
gible—the sums derived from rent¬
ing the. films* “During the war,”
added Clark, “the Japanese seized
our films, had them exhibited in
theatres, and retained the rental
funds for themselves. This act
meant a considerable loss to us, a
‘ loss that was just as real as if the
enemy had destrdyed, for example,
a motion picture theatre. It is this
rental money, kept by the Japa¬
nese, that we .now seek to recover
as war losses.”

OLD THEATRES FADE AWAY

Ft. Wayne A Patidnr Lot, Akron
A Tambourine Temple

Fort Wayne, April 30. /

Palace Theatre, built at a cost of
$200,000 in 1915, will be razed'to
make way for a downtown auto
parking lot, per Frank J. Bene¬
dict, vice president of the Harris
son Theatre and Realty Co. The
l,7Q0-seat house earned a place in
show biz history when it served;
as the incubator for “Hellzapop-
pin\” which Olsen and Johnson
whipped together at the Palace
before they took it tp Broadway.

Palace originally was a vaude¬
ville house, later combining to of¬
fer films, then became a full-time
cinema. Last fall it housed the
now defunct Conwayne Produc¬
tions, stock company, which folded
up late November, 1956, after a
brief season. Quimby ^Theatres will
move its general offices from the
Palace to the Clyde theatre.

* Akron, April 30.

The 40-year-old Liberty Theatre,
once West Hill's leading motion
picture house, has been, sold to, the
religious Volunteers of America,
which will remodel it for new head¬
quarters. Volunteers plans to move
there about June 15.

United Artists .
Now Is ‘Public’

Proposed City Ordinance:
Mandatory Parking For
Any New Film Theatres

Burlington, Vt., April 30.

A proposed ordinance change
would require new theatre build¬
ings, as and. if erected, to provide
Off-street parking space in relation
to the size and capacity of the
structure. Existing structures if en¬
larged by more than 25% of the
floor area above ground level
would have to provide the same
parking facilities as new buildings.

In addition to theatres, which
would have to provide one parking
space for every 10 seats, the new
zoning plan recommended by the
Burlington Planning Commission
would affect auditoriums, schools,
churches, retail stores and similar
places of public or private as¬
sembly.

PITTSBURGH'S PENN
NOW UA-OPERATED

Pittsburgh, April 30.

Penn Theatre here, which has
been operated by local Harris
Amusement Co, for United Artists
under a friendly arrangement, is
now being run by UA itself. Deal
with Harris outfit expired April
15, and UA appointed Fred Kunkel
its local manager.

Owned jointly by Loew’s and UA
since it was built in 1927, Penn
went to UA exclusively in the di¬
vorcement process and since then
until now, Harrises have been in
charge from their local headquar¬
ters, with booking and buying done
out of New York. Harrises handled
the advertising, bookkeeping, etc.,
and supervised the maintenance
for UA.

Await Gov. Ribicoff Okay
On Bomb-Hoax Spankings

Hartford, April 30.

The General Assembly has com¬
pleted action on a bill' making it a
crime to make false 1 bomb reports,
on places of public assembly. This
state was plagued, last winter by
a series of bomb scares In thea¬
tres and other places, all of which
proved to be false.

Both the Senate and House have
concurred on the bill which makes
it a criminal offense for anyone
t<^ knowingly give false informa¬
tion t{iat a bomb will be exploded
or that any serious hazard exists
in any .public conveyance, church,
assembly, school, theatre, auditor¬
ium or assembly hall.

United Artists' status as the last
of the privately-held major film
companies came to an 'end Thurs¬
day (25) when the public pur¬
chased $17,000,000 worth of de¬
bentures and common stbek. With¬
in a few hours after the offering
was made, F. Eberstadt & Co., the
managing underwriters, revealed
the offering had been oversub-*
scribed and that the hooks had
been closed.

Debenture and stock issuance
consisted of $ 10 , 000,000 of 6 % con¬
verted subordinated debentures,
due May 1, 1969, and 350,000
shares of common stock priced at
$20. Of the common shares, 250,-
000 were sold for the. company’s
account and the remaining 100,000
shares for the account of the man¬
agement group, headed by hoard
chairman Robert S. Benjamin and
prexy Arthur B. Krim. The eight-
man management team of the com¬
pany will- continue to own major-'
ity control of UA’s stock.

Coin realized from the public
sale will be employed to pay off
the company’s present debt obliga¬
tions and the remainder, will pro¬
vide additional working capital for
the financing of independent pro¬
duction for release through UA.
Substantial portion of the proceeds
obtained by. the management group
will be used for the payment of
debts incurred in Connection with
the acquisition of beneficial'inter¬
ests in the company’s stock.

Debentures are Initially convert¬
ible into common stock up to/ and
including May 1, 1961, at $21.
They ,are redeemable at prices
ranging from 107% if redeemed
prior to May 1,1961, and thereafter
at prices decreasing to the princi¬
pal amount. They are also redeem¬
able through the sinking fund. *
0 Oh completion of the company’s
financing, UA will have outstand¬
ing $12,650,000 of funded debt,
350,000 shares of common stock of
$1 par value, and 650,000 shares
of class B common stock of- $1 par
value.

In 1956, UA held a gross income
of $64,771,784. Net earnings were
$3,106,497, equivalent to $3.84 per
share on the outstanding common

Jones and Finch In Dallas
Dallas, April 30.

Ray Jones, a member of the In¬
terstate Theatre Circuit for more
than 20 years, has been , named re¬
gional manager for Rank and will
make his headquarters here.

Will represent the British firm
in Texas, Oklahoma, and the New
Orleans ‘ areas, W, E. Finch, for¬
merly with Allied .Artists, will
serve as Dallas branch manager.

RAIN UPON TEXAS PLAIN
A DRIVE-IN VEXATION

Dallas, April 30.
Since the April 20 tornado here
rainfall has been above normal.
Friday (26) five inches of rain fell
on the flooded area, inundating the
Twin Hiways Drive-In on the Fort
Worth-Dallfes pike. ,

• Coincidentally, eight of the local
19 ozoners Friday headlined the
twin billing with “The Rainmaker.”

Just Ain’t Got

Sez Walter Reade

| Lack of exhibitor unity is one of ;
the obstacles standing in the way of
a concerted effort to create better
business conditions in the indus¬
try, Walter Reade Jr., circuit op¬
erator and one of the leading lights
in Theatre Owners of America, said
in N. Y. l{ist week.

Reade commented that, during
his tenure as TO A prexy, he had
Jound out firsthand the extent to
which theatremen fail to work to¬
gether. “There is so much that
could be done,” he-said. “At least
we could give one another valuable
guidance by exchanging informa¬
tion and setting up certain serv¬
ices.”

Reade, who is partnered with
Frank Kassler in Continental Dis¬
tributing Co., which releases for¬
eign films, said the company from
now on would follow a new policy,
i.e., to own a part of its releases.
“We never want the majority
share,” he stressed. “We don’t
want to be producers. We’ll be
what you might'call co-investors.”
This would Involve Continental
owning the western hemisphere
rights and recouping from that
area in proportion to its original
investment.

Continental is backed by a num¬
ber of exhibitors under a unique
setup which sees Reade putting
out the coin at the start and asking
other theatremen to join in later,
with certain attendant privileges.

Reade said he was convinced
that, in the future, any independ¬
ent making a deal for pictures
would insist on also obtaining the
television rights.

Another Pinch In

* St. Louis, April 30.

Sam Gold, 49, of St. Louis, was
one of five persons indicted by a
Federal Grand Jury in Dallas re¬
cently in connection with a repu¬
tedly nation-wide ring that did a
wholesale business in the distribu¬
tion of obscepe films. Gold s'pinch
followed that of Richard Duncan,
also of St. Louis, who pleaded guil¬
ty to possession of such films and
who was fined $300 and sentenced
to a 90-day jail jolt. The sentence,
was later suspended for two years.

When Duncan was nailed. Fed¬
eral agents and local cops obtained
information of the ring’s activity
as well as confiscating 40 reels of
films that he admitted purchasing
for $720 from Gold and sold to
peddlera for a period of more than
two years.

. Gold according to FBI men ad¬
mitted bringing 100 reels from
Texas and. the agents nabbed movie
processing equipment in addition,
to 37 master negative reels of film.

Defiance in New Hands

Defiance, O., April 30.

Jack Armstrong of Bowling
Green and Ernest H. Walter of
North Baltimore, who each operate
several theatres in northwestern
Ohio, have purchased the Valentine
and Strand in Defiance, and the
Defiance Drive-In Theatre, from
the Mailers Brothers (Peter,
Charles and George) of Fort
Wayne.

Elmer N. DeWitt, theatre man¬
ager of- Defiance since 1947, will
continue to direct operations of the
three film houses, only ones in
I Defiance.

I Purchase terms not revealed.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

If Theatre Suspects fKscrimination
On Playdates, See Me Quick: Judge

■+' Philadelphia, April 30.

BUILDS SMALL BURG CHAIN

Jules Perlniutter Takes Over
Park In Cobleskill, N. Y.

Albany, April 30.

Continuing his expansion in
small towns, Jules Perlmutier, of
Albany; took: over the Park in Cob¬
leskill, Sunday (28) on lease from
Frank Wieting, onetirpe mayor. .

Perlmutter leased the State in
Mechanicville, the Capitol in
Whitehall and the' .Capitol in Balls-
ton Spa, from Benton Theatres, of
Saratoga, 18 months ago.

He also operates the Cobleskill
Drive-in at Richmondville (neaT
Cobleskill), the Fort. George Drive-
in at- Lake George, the Starlit
Drive-in at Watertown and the
Spar Drive-in, between Saratoga
and Corinth.

Perlmutter likewise conducts
conventional houses in Lake
George and Watervliet.

FBI Nabs Stag
Film Peddlers

Theatre owners, who believe they
are being discriminated against on
availability dates were given the
right to petition the court within
24 hours by Judge Francis L. Van
Dusen in U. S. District Court.

The Judge denied a petition for
a temporary injunction asked by
Claude Schlanger, owner of the
Doylestown Theatre and Bucks
County prive-In. Schlanger
charged that Universal had dis¬
criminated against him by denying
“Battle Hymn” on Its regular avail¬
ability for his houses. He stated
th$ company’s action was in re¬
taliation for a law suit he has pend¬
ing against Universal and other
distributors;

According to Schlanger the com¬
pany told him there were only 15
prints of “Battle Hymn” in the ex¬
change, but further testimony re¬
vealed they had 20 prints. The ex¬
hibitor also charged that to obtain
the picture he was asked to guaran¬
tee seven days playing time in each
theatre.

Denial of the injunction is stand¬
ard procedure in film cases, but
Judge Van Dusen agreed the prints
should made available to all thea¬
tres on their availability dates and
it should be so specified in film
contracts. The promise of court ac¬
tion in one day’s time was seen
as move to police the industry.

Dallas, April 30.

The arrest of an Oak Cliff busi¬
nessman, Wyman Hulan.Parr, cli¬
maxed. what Federal Bureau agents
termed a three-year probe Into a
farflung “stag party” film ring
with operations from New York to
San Francisco to Tampa.

At tHe same time, a federal
grand jury here returned indict¬
ments charging Parr and four oth¬
ers with conspiring to put lewd film
In interstate commerce. The oth¬
ers were arrested earlier this year
and are free on bond.

Parr, who is owner of the Cliff
Camera Shop, tangled with Jim
Murray, cameraman for WBAP-JDV,
Fort Worth, who was on hand at
the county jail to film the proceed¬
ings. John Starr of WFAA-TV, a
rival cameraman, got complete pic¬
tures of the incident.

The law itself is a relatively new
one, having been passed by Con¬
gress in 1955. “It’s the biggest
case of its kind to be made since
; the law was passed,” Dallas FBI
! Chief W. A., Murphy said.

I Dallas was headquarters for the
production and processing of the
lewd film, Murphy said. Local tour¬
ist courts were used as “studios.”

“We identified many of the ’stars’
from photos in the sheriff's and po¬
lice department’s identification
files,” Murphy said.

He added that copies of the film
had filtered into every major city
in the nation.

The Dallas operation was>to pro¬
duce and process the pictures and
then sell them on a wholesale basis
to “dealers.”

The indictment states that one
of the dealers was Sam Gold, a St.
Louis novelty salesman who was
arrested in^ St. Louis in February
on a complaint and was freed on a
$1,500 bond. Several hundred
reels of the film were seized at
that time.

Ex-Vaude

Also named in the indictment
was former vaude, 'comedian and
part time photographer 'Robert
George Bly, who is free on a. $1,500.
He was arrested in Texarkana last
month.

A local couple, each free on k
$2,000 bond, Jesse S. Hammon Jr.,
and his wife, Catherine, were also
arrested last month and .charged
with having transported obscene
film from Dallas to Shreveport,
La., and Tampa, Fla.- * -

The indictments resulted from
raids made March 1 on a Lake Dal¬
las cottage by FBI agents and Den¬
ton County Sheriff Wiley Barnes
in which $15,000 worth of movie
processing equipment and 37 mas¬
ter negative reels of obscene
movies were seized.

Convictions on the charges would
bring maximum 7 penalties of five
years in prison or fines up to $5,000
or both.

Adolph Edman, National Screen
Service salesman for the Albany
ahd New Haven areas since 1945,
has been transferred to the New
York exchange. Successor is Leo
Weston.

Plate Average 20c a Head
At Free Theatre Showing
Of Old’King of Kings’

Kansas City, April 30.

In a Holy Week arrangement the
Electric Theatre of Kansas City,
Kansas,- played Cecil B. DeMille’s
antique “The King of Kings” in
cooperation with the city’s Asso¬
ciation of Churches (Protestant).
The move was made largely as a
gesture of good will, the theatre
giving its facilities and furnishing
advertising at a figure - somewhat
less than necessary expenses.

Picture was presented ' twice
daily at no admission, but a free¬
will offering was taken. This fig¬
ured out at about 20 c per person
for the nearly 6 , 000 /who attended,
according to Bill Scott, manager.
Picture played Monday through
Saturday morning.

Churches actually walked away
with some cash as their share, as
well as the 'credit for sponsoring
an activity expected of them. Oth¬
ers helped In the project, too, in¬
cluding the Kansas City Kansan
which lent publicity and Warner
Brothers, which provided a color
short gratis.

NATIONAL FILM SERVICE
ACQUIRES OWN DEPOTS

National Film Service is taking
over the operation on its own of
three NFS-franchised depots.

Depot in San Francisco was pur¬
chased from the estate of the late
Thomas Gilboy, one of the foun¬
ders of NFS. In addition, FS has
acquired control of the ’depots in
Salt Lake City and Butte, Montana
from M. S. Wycoff, veteran film
handler.

These acquisitions gives NFS a
total of four depots which it owns
outright, the fourth being the one
in Detroit, The remaining 29 de¬
pots are owned and operated by
stockholders, of NFS.

Still Another Distrib
Into Astaire Terpery Biz

Hatton Taylor,’ former RKO dis¬
trict’ sales manager in Cleveland,
has joined Fred. Astaire Dance Stu¬
dios as special sales representative
in the U.S. and general sales man¬
ager for Canada.

Appointment was made by prexy
Charles. L. Casanave, former mo¬
tion picture executive, following
his return from New Orleans where
he conferred with exhibitors at¬
tending the Variety International
Convention. Casanave has bepn
urging theatremen to enter the
dance studio business as a sideline,
pointing to the success of Inter¬
state Circuit’s Fred Astaire Dance
Studio operation in Houston.

Taylor’s appointment, according
to Casanave, is the first of several
planned sales assignments, of film
industry executives.

When baby needs a new
pair of shoes today —the
Prize Baby included —it
costs 138 per cent more
than in 1940.

Compare this and all your
other oversizecl costs to the
shoestring increases, if any,
that some of you gave the
Prize Baby during the same
period.

Then, we hope you v will/
appreciate the desire of the
Prize Baby to continue to
give the kind of service you
expect and receive —at
the least possible cost.

24

PICTURES

y&nmfY

Checking Film Row

HMH

K44I

MH

CHICAGO

Mike Kassel, formerly with RKO,
joined Teitel Film Corp. and will
handle that company’s smalltown
and drive-in sales.

Thomas Murray, head of Univer¬
sal’s branch operations, in from
N. Y. last week to confer*with Dis¬
trict Manager Mannie Gottlieb and
Branch Manager Berman.

Barney Ross due in town this
week for promotion of Uhited Art¬
ists’ “Monkey on My Back.”

Ken Edgerly made manager of
Balaban & Katz’s reopened Garrick
Theatre.

SAN FRANCISCO

Marty Foster, owner of Oregon’s
only arty, the 400-seat Guild in
Portland, named general manager
of Herbert Rosener Co., which
operates two arty houses here, two
iu Los Angeles and the Stagedoor
here in conjunction with Irving
Ackerman.

Oakland businessman Walter
Siedentopf bought 500-seat Foothill
Theatre there last week from Sam
Millard, father-in-law of burlesque
and exploitation-house operator
Harry,A. Farros;

ST. LOUIS

Construction of an ozoner for
Frisina Amus. Co., between Law-
renceville and Bridgeport, Ill., will
be the ninth ozoner owned by that
outfit.

Frank Rodgers bought an ozoner
near Casey, Ill., from Leroy EJaston
who built it in 1953.

Special showing of “Spirit of St.
Louis” at the Fox May 6 expected
to increase the coffers of the St.
Louis Variety Club’s Heart Fund.
It recently paid off a $40,000 mort¬
gage on a Day Nursery home.

Ozoners in St. Louis trade area
relighted for current season in¬
clude those near Farina, Paris,
Pana, Vandalia, Olney, Marion and
Sullivan, Ill., and near Morganfield
and Sturgis, Ky,

Annual meeting of Missouri-Illi-
nois Theatre owners advanced a
week for two-day session Sept.
9-10.

PITTSBURGH

Fred Kunkel appointed manager
of UA Penn, succeeding William
Zeilor. Kunkel started there as an
usher in 1942, had been with Har¬
ris Amus. Co. at' different houses
following World War II and Ko¬
rean War service. More recently he
was Zeilor’s assistant.

Paul Reith, who had been with
RKO for 27 years when company
folded and stayed on for six weeks
to get product and procedure
straightened out for Universal,
went to Par as a booker. He re¬
places Walter McCloskey. Latter
had been night shipper for. 13
years until that was discontinued;
he became a" booker last October.

Gordon Gibson, who head^ Atlas
Theatre* Supply, has acquired the
Strand in Sharpsburg' from Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Rachiele. Gibson
operated drive - ins in Central
Pennsylvania and Maryland sev¬
eral years ago.

Blatt Bros. Theatres made a flp.ck
of managerial shifts. J. R.. Stef anion
goes from the Rex in Corry to the
Star Drive-in in Blasdell, N. Y.;
Harry Stauffer from the Grand in
Patton to the Rex; Harry Noonan
from the Denman in Girard to the
Grand;, Terrence Rouse from the
State in Yoiingsvllle to Denman.
Mrs. Terrence Rouse is temporar¬
ily managing the State in Youngs-
ville. :

Joe Palmieri shuttered the
Vogue in New Castle and Paul
Bronder shut down the McKee on
Arlington Ave.

K. A. (Gus) Vaveris, vet'Johns¬
town showman; took a full lease on
Family Drive-In at Mundy’s Corner
from his partners for the last eight
years, Michael Vizzini, Jim Di-
Mauro, Sam Lubell’ and Gust
Contos. Vaveris operates .the Ma¬
jestic in Philipsburg and Grand
in Mount Pleasant; lie’s also super¬
visor for some of A. N. Notopoulos
circuit houses.

Mike Manos chain of theatres in
western Pennsylvania and West
Virginia celebrating his 45th anni
in show biz with a sHowmanship
drive extending to June 22. Joseph
F. Bugala, general manager of
circuit, heads big push.

Bob Finkel, producer of the
Perry Como< tv show and son of
Bill Finkel, retired Pittsburgh
exhib’ and former Chief Barker of
Variety Club here, tapped by the
British Broadcasting Corp. to serve
as a consultant over there during
summer months when Como is on
vacation.

Mrs. Pauleen Interrante with¬

drew from exhibition at Rowland
in Philipsburg. and house was taken
over by Harold Graffius, long pro¬
jectionist there. _ "

Ben Amdur, owner of the Gar¬
den on the Northside, is now' in
the jewelry business, too. Named
executor of estate of his late twin
brother, Sam Amdur, he’s running
latter’s gem business.

Victor Theatre in New Castle,
operated for past year by Harry
and George Fry, taken over by
Maurice* Markley, who also owns
State there,

Ernest Gorris, former manager-
projectionist at Star in Glassport,
now living in Los Angeles area and
plans to enter Pasadena College in
the fall.

Harold C. Lund, first assistant
barker of Variety Club here and
veepee of Westinghouse Broadcast¬
ing Co. in Pittsburgh, elected to
WBC board of directors.

MINNEAPOLIS

‘10 Commandments,” in tenth
week at Lyric, had special Easter
wefek morning matinees and is
selling tickets 10 weeks in advance.

Cinerama’s “Seven Wonders of
World,” in 38th Week at Century,
launched annual spring season of
Saturday morning student matinees.

Ted Mann, in New York in quest
of pictures for his downtown World
and two nabe arty houses here
and St. Paul World, may confer
with Mike Todd office regarding
“Around World..in 80 Days” ( for
his currently dark Alvin here.

Pledge of support by local mer¬
chants resulted in reopening of
shuttered Thorp, Wis., theatre.
Darkened houses at Hallock and
New Richland, Minn., and Sher¬
wood, N. D., and Effington, S. D.,
also relighted recently.

Big parade and band concert in
front of theatre preceded opening
of “Spirit of St. Louis” at RKO
Orpheum here. Special preem for.
pic also was held at.Little Falls,
Minn., Charles * A. Lindbergh’s
birthplace.

Lucky Twins ozoner starting to
show different pictures on its two
screens.

World Theatre showing German
Isetta bubble car in lobby during
“Funny Tace” run.

First-run of “Gold of Naples” at
local neighborhood arts Suburban
World resulted in three Week run.

Paramount booker Bill Anda
joined the Marines.

With WB sales shakeup here,
with*district manager Art Ander¬
son becoming branch manager, and
branch manager Myron Adcock city
salesman, Perry Smoots and Frank
Anderson, .salesman, resigned.
Their territories have been con¬
solidated and taken by ‘ other
staffers.

Theatres at Gibbons and Water-
ville, Minn., shuttered.

Minewauken, N. D., cinema re¬
opened by local business men as
civic venture.

Al. Sterh, former RKO office
manager, appointed to same post at
Universal.

Cannon Falls, Minn., popylation
2,‘0Q0, sans movie theatre for first
time in 45 years, its only show-
house having been dismantled.

Fred Quirnby Sets
Own Cartoonery

Hollywood, April 30.

Fred Quiihby, organizer of
Metro’s shorts subjects program
and cartoon department who re¬
tired from studio in December
after a 30-year tenure, is going into
business for himself. Some of his
former staff members at Metro
will join him in the new cartoon¬
ery since Metro is slowing its pace
in that field.

Quirnby outfit will do both ani¬
mated and live action cbmmercials
and special animation sequences
for tv programs. Veteran animator,
winner of eight Academy Awards
and developer of such characters
as Tom and Jerry, Barney Bear
and Droopy, has now developed a
new 1 method for presentation of
-commercials.

LOS ANGELES

Warner Bros! will distrib multi-
number of George Montgomery
starrers- to be filmed under star’s
own indie production banner. Ini-
tialer will be “The Black Patch,”
produced and directed by Allen
Miner.

Republic Pictures acquired sales
and distribution rights in U.S. and
Canada to Milmakers’ “The Weap¬
on/’ starring Steve Cochran, Eliz¬
abeth Scott and Herbert Marshall.

SELZN1CK AND HUSTON
NOT SUING EITHER WAY

Hollywood, April 30.

David O. Selznick and John Hus¬
ton haife called off threatened
legalistics over latter’s removal as
director on “A Farewell to Arms”
and have signed a “mutual waiver”
releasing each other “from any
claims out of differences of
opinion” as to the shooting of the
Ernest Hemingway novel, which
Selznick is making for 2 Qth-Fox re¬
lease.

“Under the settlement agree¬
ment,” their joint statement read,
<‘Mr. Huston retained compensation
paid and due him up to March 20,
the date upon which his services
terminated. The- photography of
the picture commenced three days
later.”

IA's Translator'* Union

The International Alliance
of Theatrical Stage Employees
has granted a charter to the-
Society of Language Special¬
ists,*a new union composed of
translators, dubbers, narrators,
commentators, program direc¬
tors and news editors in the
foreign language field. New
group has been designated as
Local 867. _

Ken Smith has been liiamed
president of the local; Crispin
A. Santos, v.p.; John.Brunk,
secretary-treasurer; Agustin
Llopis de Olivares, business
agent, and Joseph Pellbn, ser¬
geant-at-arms.

STANLEY McINTOSH IN
ARTHUR DeBRA’S TOGA

Community relations and the
educational services departments
of the Motion Picture Assn, of
America will be combined in, the
future under Stanley McIntosh.
Latter is replacing Arthur DeBra
as head of the Association’s com¬
munity relations section.

McIntosh formerly was in charge
of the educational services depart¬
ment, concerned mostly with Teach¬
ing Films Custodian. He’s con¬
tinuing in that position, though the
department has been sharply re¬
duced in its activities.

There’s speculation whether the
same process might not be in store
for the community relations area.’
Marjorie Dawson will aid McIn¬
tosh on the community relations
level. Apart from overseeing the
greensheet (film rating) operation,
Mrs. Dawson also heads up the
Children’s Film Library which, due
to tv and the switch from nitrate
to acetate, has had to be sharply
curtailed, with a great many of the
children’s classics no longer avail¬
able.

Community relations under De-
Bra has been as much concerned
with explaining the industry—find
the Code—^n the grassroots level,
as it has been with coordinating at¬
tempts to guide i^omen’s club and
coluncil activities into positive
channels. It’s believed that, with
a tight budget and the greater
attention to the foreign market
with its concrete problems, MPAA
may be seeking to cut down on ifcfl
extraneous activities.

FISCAL PICTURE OF
FILMDOM’S CHARITY

Hollywood, April 30.

For its first mass drive in nine
years, Motion Picture Relief Fund
will make a pitch for 100 % .rep¬
resentation in industry subscrip¬
tions. Appeal, which started Mon¬
day (15), runs until May 15; Prexy
'George Bagnall told a briefing
meeting that a survey showed only
60% of filmites now are contrib¬
uting to the Fund-;

During 1956, he added, the Fund
spent $1,306,038 administering to
a total of 6,287 needy cases within
the industry. - In addition to con¬
tributions, MPRF is supported by
interest from $2,500,000 invested
in bonds and securities and is en¬
tirely solvent.

Stanley’s 25c Per Share

Board of directors of Stanley
Warner Corp. declared a dividend
of 25c per share last week on the
ccjmpany’s outstanding common
stock.

Melon is payable May 24 to stock¬
holders of record May 3.

lYednesday, May 1, '1957

How U.S. Films Are Running in Pakistan

(Calculated in Dal tars, B. O. Tax Excluded)

(Week March 15 to March 21, 1 957)

CITY OF KARACHI

Film. Company. Period. Gross,

“High Society” .... ,MGM.15/21 March ... .\.$2,575

“Pardners” ...Paramount_15/21 March (2nd week) .. 1,705

“Untamed” .Fox .15/21 March (2nd run) ... 1,917

“Tea and Sympathy”. MGM.15/21 March. 3,569

“Commanche”.United Artists. .15/18 March (4 days only). 925

“Unidentified Flying .

Objects” ..,. United Artists. .19/21 March (3 days only). 643

CITY OF LAHORE

“Abdulla The Great”. Fox..15/21 March.$2,739

“Helen of Troy”.Warners .1518 March (2nd week) ... 568

“Mister Roberto” .., .Warners .19/21 March (3 days only). 181

“The Ring and I’\.. .20th Fox.15/21 March . 2,738

“Lust for Life” . .\. .MGM ..-.14/18 March (3 d?ys only). 354

“Easy to Love” .MGM..17/20 March (2nd run)

(4 days only) . 218

(Week March 22 to March 28, 1957) .

CITY OF KARACHI

“While the City

Sleeps” .RKO .22/25 March (4 days only) $1,341

“French Line”

(2nd run) .RKO ......... 26/28 March (3 days only). 539

“War and Peace” i

(Simultaneous run

at two cinemas).. .Paramount .. .22/28 March. 7,834

“Searchers” .Warners .22/28 March.. ... 2,706

“Tea and Sympathy” v ’

(2nd week) .MGM.22/25 March (4 days only). 1,389

“Hit the Deck” .MGM.26/28 March (3 days only). 747

“Broken Lance” ^

(2nd run) .20th Fox.22/25 March (4 days onfy) / 898

“Call Me Madam

(2nd run) .20th Fox.26/28 March (3 days only). 289

CITY OF LAHORE

“Abdulla The Great”

(2nd week) ...... .Fox. 22/28 March ..$1,679

“Moby Dick” .......Warners .22/28 March. 1,536

“King and I” .20th'Fox .-,.,..22/28 March. 1,698

“Never Say Goodbye” .Universal.21/23 March (3 days only). 220

“Black Shield of

Falworth” (2ndrun).Universal .24/27 March (4 days only). 249

| ^ (Week March 29 to April 4, 1957)

^ CITY OF KARACHI

“Oh Men, Oh

Women” .20th Fox ...... 29/4 April ...\ . $1,915

“Running Wild” ....Universal .29/4 April. 3,145

“War and Peace”

( 2 nd simultaneous
week at two

( cinemas) .Paramount ./29/4 April ....' . 5,818

[“The Last Frontier” Columbia .....29/4 April. 1,686

“Miracle in the Rain”. Warners .29/1 April (4 days only). . . 998

“The Silver Chalice”

(2nd run) .Warners .2/4 April (3 days only)- 929

CIJY OF LAHORE

“The Devil Is a'

Woman” ;. Paramount .... 2'9/4 April.$1,535

“Unconquered”

(2nd run) .Paramount ... . 29/4 April.2,196

“King and I”

(3rd week) . 20 th Fox .29/4 April. 1,435

“The Prodigal”

. (2nd run) .MGM.28/31 March (4 days) ... /. 541

“Forever Darling” .. .MGM .. 1/8 April (3 days). 187

Total grossed at Lahore ..." _$5,894

(Note: Every Pakistan cinema runs three shows daily.)

j

COLOMBIA: COME 6c GET IT

Bank Ready To Remit 60% of
Yanks’ Film Rentals

Bank in Republic, of Colombia
has notified the American film
companies that it is prepared to
go through with the proposed pay¬
ment plan under which U.S. film
earnings through December, 1956,
Will be partially remitted.

Arrangement calls for 60% of
the amount to be transferred in
dollars and the rest in notes.
About $1,700,000 are involved.
Payment is expected within 30
days. . ,

JAPS OWN RAWSTOCK
NOT TO BE OBLIGATORY

Irving Maas, the Motion Picture
Export Assn, rep for the Far East,
has succeeded in convincing the
Japanese to drop a new rule under
which all local printing in Tokyo
would have to be done on locally-
produced rawstock.

Still in effect, however, is the
regulation under which the Amer¬
icans can bring in no more than
12 prints per picture. If the film
is printed locally, a maximum of
16 prints can be circulated in
Japan.

The Japanese government has
okayed a deal .under which non¬
resident U.S.. yen funds ih Japan
can be Ujsed to print films in Tokyo
for distribution throughout the
Far East.

ILLINOIS WAGE LAW
PROTESTED BY EXHIBS

Springfield, Ill., April 30.

United Theatre Owners of Illi¬
nois, a Theatre Owners of Amer¬
ica affiliate, has registered a pro¬
test against "a proposed Illinois
state minimum wage law, charging
discrimination against theatres.

Original bill provided for a
minimum wage of 75c per hour to
be paid employees of any firm
employing four or more persons,
j No action was taken by.the theatre
group until the bill was amended
to exclude employees of hotels and
restaurants. Reason cited for ex¬
cluding hotel and restaurant em¬
ployees is the fact that they re¬
ceive tips in addition to fixed
wages.

However, the Illinois theatre
group maintains that the amend¬
ment does not refer to a particular
class of hotel-restaurant employees
and that maids, cashiers, bus boys
are all excluded whereas their
^counterparts in theatres are not.

Bill, now pending in the -House,
is scheduled for final action short¬
ly and passage is expected. It must
then be passed by the Senate and
it is the hope of the theatre group
that it.can be halted in the upper
chamber. Illinois theatremen are
b'eing^alerted to make their views
known to their local reps in the
State Legislature.

Riviera, Puerto Rico, has re¬
opened (850 seats) as a first-run
outlet for Universal picture.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PICTURES 25

‘Sneak Previews in Chis Loop FIGHT YANKEES
Regularized; Amounts to Dual Bill IHIFCKIIIR R

Policy in Downtown Firstruns

Chicago, April-30. 4*
The “sneak preview/' once a
genuine method of testing mass
audience appeal for a new picture,
has become another gimmick to
bolster the b.o, and, in essence,
has brought a double feature pol¬
icy. to deluxe downtown houses.

"Sneak previews," rather than
being the rarity they once were,
are now commonplace here. Ac¬
cording to Abe Platt,'district man¬
ager of the Balaban & Katz thea¬
tre chain, the purpose of the
"sneaks" has drastically changed.

In more settled times, producers
would often do retakes -on .‘the
basis of the audience’s reactions ;
and comments. In addition, thea-
tremen and distributors would
seek items fit for ad copy.

Today, however, “sneak pre- '
views" are shown in cities like
Chicago with no intention of any
studio revisions. Often they are
shown after the promotional cam¬
paign has been completed, after
the pictures have opened in other
cities, and after they been booked
into a local house for an imminent
date. The only ones who could
possibly gain information to in¬
fluence booking are the subse-
quent-run theatres. \

It is clear now that the ohly pur¬
pose of the “sneak preview is to
draw the customer who is. tempted
by the bargain of obtaining two
offerings for the price of one. Con¬
sequently “sneaks" have been an¬
nounced. prominently in B&K ads ’
for the Chicago; State-Lake and
United Artists theatres to the ex¬
tent- of one or two a week during
the month of March. Other hpuses
have also discovered that local
loop workers can be persuaded to
remain downtown a few extra
hours to catch a double feature at
a first-run house.

The Oriental Theatre has for the
past two years extended the two-
for-one policy. The theatre’s mail¬
ing list consists largely of names
filled out by those answering com¬
ment cards at previous “sneaks."
These names regularly receive in¬
vitations to attend a preview of
the theatre’s next feature. Appeal
of two pictures for the price of one
is enhanced by admitting two peo¬
ple for the price of one on pre¬
sentation of the invitation. As
with other houses, previews at the
Oriental are held 1 in the last sag¬
ging weeks of a run and immedi¬
ately before the ” entry of the
sneaked" picture.

General opinion of theatremen is
that it is better to have a full audi¬
ence for a four-hour show than
sparse support for two separate
two-hour performances. Theatres
come out on top mathematically,
too, since they pay no rental on the
sneak" film. Distributors usually
permit this if the feature bolstered
oy the “sneak" is one of their
own. On occasion, however, a rival
company’s film may be playing dur¬
ing the time of the “sneak," but
the distrib of the new picture feels
he stands to benefit as a result of
the word-of-mouth publicity for
the new entry.

New York Theatre

-IUOIO CUT MUSIC HILL-

Roikcfcllei Center

AUDREY HEPBURN . FRED ASTAIRE

“FUNNY FACE”
co-starring KAV THOMPSON
A Paramount Picture

Tft' wmc mu.! out mm irac mew i

Checking the Checkers

Austin, Tex., April 30.

Film house owners would
get results of any inspection
check by distributors on their
attendance before they have to
turn in their reports to the ex¬
changes* under a bill which was
passed here by thk Texas
House of Representatives on
Thursday (25).

Under general film industry
practice, distributors spot-
check attendance at pic houses
to see if the owners are re¬
porting their patronage for an
honest payoff to the renter.

In Twist, TV House
Turns Film Studio

Hollywood, April 30.
California Studios has purchasea
the former film house, Mel-Van
Theatre, on Melrose Avenue near
the studio and is renovating it as
a sound stage. Since its film house
days, theatre has been used as a
site for live telecasts. California
Studios is spending about $100,000
to convert it to give the studio a
total of 10 sound stages available
for rental companies.

Stage One at the studio also is
,being comrerted into an audience
participation stage and the pilot
for Martha Raye’s “Baby Snooks”
already has been shot there.

'HELP YOURSELF, CHUMS'

Those Actor-Columnists, Open

To All, Says Pickraan

In a smart all-industry “Macy’s-
does-tell-Gimbels" pitch, Jerry
Piekman is turning Paramount’s
hosting of 50 newsmen, who will
“work as actors" in Perlberg-Sea-
ton’s “Teacher's Pet," into an all-
industry stunt. While Par is bank¬
rolling the plane junket, the Bev-
erly-Hilton Hotel hospitality, trans¬
portation, the $15-a-day incidental
expense. money, the $285 SAG
sqale “salary," etc., Piekman has
invited the other Hollywood studio
publicity directors to take advan¬
tage of the newsmen’t presence and
make it an industry-wide hospital¬
ity pitch.

While the working week for the
newspaper-men-tumed-actors, a s
part of the Perlberg-Seaton pic¬
ture, will be limited to May 6-10,
about 15 of the 50 will be needed to
remain on through May 15. This
will be selected following arrival of
the newspapermen on the Holly¬
wood scene.

Meantime the other film studio
publicists have been invited by Par
to also extend the welcome-mat,
entertain at dinner, previews, etc.
—after shooting hours, of course—
so that the industry at large can
take advantage of the presence of
50 newspapermen from the nation’s
Dress converging on the local scene.
Piekman stresses “there is much
excitement in Hollywood on your
visit . . . this is the first time that
so many of the nation’s top news¬
men fyave been gathered in one
group to participate in, and ob¬
serve, our industry."

A Trader Vic’s edektailery is
slated Jor May 5, and Doris Day is
hosting a barbecue at her home on
May 11—the only two scheduled
events. Piekman stresses either or
both are strictly optional with the
visiting typewriter-pounders.

FILM SALESMAN WANTED

Experienced man to establish New York Film 'Distribution
Center’for Producer of Low Budget pictures. Excellent
opportunity.

Box V427-57, Variety, 154 W. 46th St., New York 34

Film companies are being
threatened with a new kind of
legislation which, they fear could
cost them millions of dollars an¬
nually. It’s in the form of bills
introduced in the state legislatures
of Texas, Oklahoma and South
Carolina which would outlaw the
distribs’ so-called blind checking
of theatre admissions.

Distribution men this week said
the measures, if enacted, would
leave them with * no apparent
means of checking up on exhib
receipts so as to determine
whether they were receiving the
correct percentage of income in
accordance with terms of licens¬
ing contracts. Specifically the
distribs would be forced to rely
on the honesty of the theatre-
men’s* reports on grosses.

Blind Check

Under traditional checking pro¬
cedures the film* companies hire
individuals in various towns to-
take a count on admissions at cer¬
tain theatres from, time to time.
It’s a “blind check" in that no
actual record is made of the
specific number of admissions
from the time of a theatre's open¬
ing to closing.

While the distribs concede that
chiselers arqong the exhibs are
relatively few in number and not
importantly situated, they still
represent potential income of mil¬
lions over a period of time. Fur¬
ther, it’s feared, fraudulent re¬
ports on percentages would be
encouraged by the anti-checking
legislation.

Situation for the most part has
drawn little spotlight but it’s
known the Motion Picture Assn,
of America is investigating and
hopes to win support for a fight
against the bills. Such support
even will be sought from exhibs
themselves—exhibs whose hon¬
esty is beyond question and want
assurance that their lesser scrup-
pled. colleagues will stay within
the law. •

Regional theatre organizations
for ’ years have blasted away at j
blind checking with the argument
this is not a sound btusiness prac¬
tice and, to boot, obviously re- I
fleets suspicion of their business
moral standards. Frequently a
target of the exhib raps is the New
York law firm of Sargoy & Stein,
which represents the distribs in
legal actions against exhibs based
on charges of inaccurate reporting
of grosses on percentage-deal pic¬
tures.

Reduce License
For Drive-Ins

Edmonton, Atla., April 30.

License fees for drive-in the¬
atres in Alberta have been reduced
by 50% by a provincial order-in-
cojuncil.

The order said the present scale
of drive-in licenses, based on full-
car capacity, “may be too high in
relations to the fees provided for
other theatres in cities, towns and
rural districts."

The new fees are scaled to car
capacity. A drive-in with accom¬
modation for 500 or more cars
would pay an annual fee of $125
or a monthly levy of $25, which¬
ever works out cheapest for the
theatre. The fees graduate down
according to the capacity of the
theatre.

Grainger Joins Metro

Hollywood, April 30.

Edmund Grainger, who ankled
his RKO * contract fortnight ago
has signed a producer pact with
Metro, checking in May 6 after a
trip to N. Y.

His initial assignment will be
“The Valiant Strain," adapted
from a novel by Kenneth E. Shif-
lefc, to be .published in August*

Easter Week Big Lift to April B.O.;
‘Allison,’ Tunny Face,’ ‘Designing’
Battle Longruns for Top Spots

Variety’s survey of how
principal product fared at the
boxoffice the previous month
is not fully national but based
on reports of correspondents
in 24 representative key cities
over the U. S. and Canada. As
such , it usually reflects the
strength boxofficewise of key
product 'but does not pretend
either to be an index of total
gross or total earnings of any
current picture.)

Arrival (late) of Easter Sunday
(21) and usual upbeat from Easter
Week itself gave national film
grosses a healthy shot in the April
arm. Helped, too, by the release
of new, stronger fare- late in the
month. Exhibitors who'had been
complaining about wicket traffic
were surprised at what a jolt of
new product plus end of Lent and

April’s Easter Bonnets

1. “Commandments" (Par).
Z. “Mr. Allison" (20th).

3. “Around World" (UA).

4. ’ “7 Wonders” (Cinerama).

5. “Funny Face" (Par>.

6. “Designing Woman" (MG)

7. “Cinderella" (BV)
(reissue).

8. “Shrinking Man" (U).

9. “Tattered Dress" (U).

10. “12 Angry Men" (UA).

income tax woes could do for cin¬
ema trade.

DeMille’s “10 Commandments"
(Par) again is monthly champion
in the national b.o. sweepstakes,
as in March and February. Only
in the closing weeks of the month
did the Cecil B. DeMille opus dip
from No. 1 spot any of the weekly
compilations, hut by then it had a
commanding monthly lead. Pic is
on extended-run in nearly every lo¬
cation, and in only a few keys is it
showing any signs of tapering off
after three months or near.

'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison”
(20th) is copping second place,
proving a real boxoffice winner
even through the depths of pre-
Easter doldrums. “Around World
in 80 Days" (UA) is hot in pur¬
suit and massed second position
only by a narrow margin. The Mike
Tod depic gathered great strength
near the end of the month, with
additional openings swelling the
number of keys where playing to
13. It was a strong third-position
winner.

“Seven Wonders of World"
(Cinerama), displaying sustained
strength finished fourth, the same
as in March. “Funny Face” (Par),
which only got rolling the final
two weeks of the month, wound up
fifth despite this. Audrey Hepburn-
Fred Astaire musical seems des¬
tined to be heard from plenty in
the immediately future. “Face" es¬
tablished a new alltime money rec¬
ord of $215,000 at the N. Y. Music
Hall in its fourth week.

“Designing Woman" (M-G) fin¬
ished sixth, showing smart draw¬
ing power the two weeks it Was
out to any considerable extent. It
is the next pic due into the N. Y.
Music Hall. “Cinderella” (BV)
(reissue) displayed remarkable
strength for an oldie to wind up
seventh, although in distrib exten¬
sively only two weeks. Easter
holiday week, of course, helped via
the many juveniles the pic at¬
tracted.

“Shrinking Man" (U), which
was sixth.in March, showed enough
to wind up eighth. “Tattered
Dress," from Universal also,
copped ninth money. “12 Angry
Men" (UA), apparently having
some difficulty in getting started,
finished 10th. “Great Man" (U)
and “Oklahoma" (Magna) were
the two runner-up pix in that se¬
quence. The former was 12th in
March.

“Anastasia,” generally paired
with “King and I/' both 20th-Fox

pix, were brought bdek in many
keys to cash in on Academy awards
and wound up seventh one week
during the month. •

Besides “Funny Face" and “De¬
signing Woman,” several other new
entries showed promise. “Spirit of
St. Louis” (WB) hinted b.o. poten¬
tial by copping fifth place the first
week it was out in distribution to
any extent. Another newcomer,
“Boy On Dolphin" (20th), finished
fourth the same stanza, and may be
heard from additionally in the fu¬
ture.

“Bachelor Party" (UA), just
getting around, hinted possibilities
since big to sock in four keys the
first week out. “Strange One"
(Gol), also new, was rated big in
one key and nice in another. “Fear
Strikes Out" (Par), another newle,
thus far has not indicated any
smash potentialities.’

“10,000 Bedrooms" (MG) was
classed as a runnerup pic one week
but obviously was a major disap¬
pointment, especially since the mu¬
sical was Dean Martin’s initial solo
picture effort. “Guns of Ft. Petti¬
coat" (Col), also new, wound up
eighth one session.

“La Strada" (T-L), “Wee Geor-
die" (Incfie) and “Full of Life"
(Col) were runner-up films in dif¬
ferent weeks during the last month..

“Brave One" (RKO-U) chipped
in with several okay to nice play-
dates. “Attack of Crab Mon¬
sters” (AA) managed to wind up
seventh One week.

Stall Cable Bid
In Austin, Texas

Austin, Tex., April 30.

The City Council voted to take
“under advisement" proposals ire-
sented in an afternoon long public
hearing by four separate groups
seeking authority to inaugurate toll
television home movies. Accord¬
ing to Mayor Tom Miller. “We will
keep hearing this matter." But no
future date has been set.

Applicants for the franchise in¬
clude Capital Cable Co., a new
Texas corporation; Interstate Cir¬
cuit Inc.; and the operators of
Trans-Texas Theatres, Inc., who
said they intend to form a new
organization to be called Austin
Telemovie Corp., to operate such
a system “for the purpose pf ex¬
hibiting motion pictures."

Eddie Joseph Theatres, operator
of a circuit of ozoners here, also
applied for the “electronic home
theatre" permit.

Wanted

Large

Theatre Corp.
Prefer Corp. with
Losses or
Unsuccessful
Earnings with
Possibility of
Improvement.
Prefer Easiern
Location.

Write in Detail.

Box V 15A-57, VARIETY,

154 West 46th Street
New York 36

26 RADIO-TELEVISION

f'SHalEFf'

Wednesday, May. 1, 1957

On the Prowl (or New Stations

Chicago, April 30. •

Ward Quaal, vfeepee and gen¬
eral manager of WGN Inp* con¬
firmed last week that the Chicago
Tribune radio-tv arm is on the
prowl for additional broadcasting
properties, as reported here last
fall.

Although nothing is imminent in
the 'way of additional acquisitions
to augment WGN, WGN-TV in Chi¬
cago and WPIX, also \inder the
Trib-Daily News banner in New
York, Quaal said he has been
talking with station owners in
various parts of the. country.

. While he refused * to specify just
whom he has contacted, he said
prices are awfully steep in the
current market.

For years there had "Been specu¬
lation that the Trib might divest
itself of its radio-tv adjuncts.

. Supposedly this was reflection of
the newspaper side’s lack of inter¬
est in. the electronic offsprings.
But if that thinking ever really
prevailed in Tribune Tower it has
apparently- been dissipated by the
awareness in recent years that
there’s real money to be made in
broadcasting. Thus with the Trib
hierarchy thinking in terms of
capital investments, radio and tv
are now considered logical [ ave¬
nues of expansion.

Some reasons for the Trib’s
“we’re in radio-tv. to stay” think¬
ing were indirectly outlined by
Quaal in a rundown of WGN and
WGN-TV’s activities since he was
brought in last August from the
Crosley stations. For example, he
disclosed that March was the most
profitable month in the history of
WGN Inc.

Riak Income

WGN logged its highest billings
during March in its 33-year his¬
tory. Business during March of
’67 ran. 14.9% above that of the
same month—a year ago. March
billings topped February by 18.2%.
WGN-TV, in its 10th year, regi-
tered an increase of 14.9% during
March and a 16.7% increase of a
year ago.

One of Quaal’s first moves was
to put both stations under the re¬
spective NARTB * codes. This
housecleaning' cost the stations
$575,000 annually in pitch and mail
order business, but the dumped
' revenue was more than offset. by
new accounts. “We are convinced
the increased billings in both sta¬
tions the past six months demon-
. (Continued on page 46)

'Love Oscar, Hate
Emmy: Oldsmobile

Decision of Oldsmobile to bypass
the two Emmy shows next year
(nominations and awards) and to
settle for jthe single telecasting of
the Oscar presentations has cued
the hope in some circles that NBC
will give Emmy “respectability”
next time out by divorcing the
event from sponsorship and run¬
ning it as an all-industry event.

Since that would entail a heft
outlay on the pkrt of NBC, it’s
figured the chances are slim, and
there are already indications that
NBC is out canvassing potential
bankrollers. The network still has
a year to go on its' firm commit¬
ment with the Academy of Tele¬
vision Arts and Sciences (Emmy’s
parent) and the suggestion has fre¬
quently been brought forth that ul¬
timately all the networks should
tie in -for a one-big-industry show
stripped of “outside commercial¬
ism.”

Civic and Industry
Leaders in Tribute
To WIP on 35th Anni

Philadelphia, April 30.

Climax .'of the'week-long cere¬
monies marking Radio Station
WIP’s 3 5 years on the air was a
luncheon attended by civic and in¬
dustry notables in the Barclay. Ho¬
tel (26). The luncheon and the
awards presentation were spon¬
sored jointly by the City of Phila¬
delphia and the Chamber of Com¬
merce, of Greater Philadelphia.

On the dais were Mayor Richr
ardson Dilworth, Manie Sacks,
Thomas F. O’Neil, John B. Poor,
Bruce Gimbel, and Federal Com¬
munications Commissioner Resel
H. Hyde, Richard A. Mack and Rob¬
ert E. Lee. The last named ttiade
the principal address paying spe¬
cial tribute to Benedict Gimbel Jr.,
the station’s president and general
manager and founuer.

Virtually every station, radio and
tv, in the Philadelphia area sent
reps to the meeting. A highlight
of the prodeedings was a tape, re¬
cording from Bob Hope to his
friend Gimbel. “Ben knows more
people in show business than the
Friendly Finance % Co. t ” , Hope
eulogized.

8wing and Sway with

SAMMY KAYE

Currently: Hotel Roosevelt Grill,
New York.

Radio: Sunday Serenade—ARC.
Col. Records: Rock -and sway—
YOUNG LOVER’S DREAM calypso
—Wat A Sfitidy Night.

Col. Albums: Sunday Serenade of
Poetry—My Fair Lady—Bells Are
Ringing.

MSaraolFs Letters (M in Stix

Apparently the Bob Sarnoff. person-to-person “newsletter” stuff
Is paying off as one of the resounding NBC publft relations clicks
of the season,, based on the “fan mail” and column treatment the
&BO prexy has been receiving from tv-radio editors around the
country. ^ ., . .

The idea of a network prez divesting himself of .“inside stuff”
and apprising the writing fraternity of his own personal beliefs
and convictions has undoubtedly scored a hit wifh the eds, par¬
ticularly those who have long felt that the close-torhomeoffice
boys enjoy a pipeline advantage that has always been denied them.

They like the idea of getting the “latest thinking” in network
trends direct from the horse’s mouth, particularly since Sarnoff
is in a position to say things in a letter that *he can’t say in a
press release, and the memos are even scoring a hit with station
managers and. personnel • throughout the organization who are
asking for them in increasing numbers on the basis that the letters
now give them an “in” on top management thinking.

Era of the Egghead

—----

‘Twenty-One* Producer Sees Intellectual-Type
Coming Into Own on TV

AFTRA 20th Anni

In Tribute to Its

American Federation of Televi¬
sion & Radio Artists will celebrate
its 20th anni with a dinner at the
Sheraton-Astor Hotel in N. Y. May
13 at which the union’s two found¬
ing fathers will be honored. The
affair will honor tHenry Jaffe on his
retirement as the’ union’s legal
counsel, and will also announce
the establishment of the George
Heller Foundation & Memorial
Awards, honoring the late organ¬
izer and exec director of the union.
Bristol-Myers formerly sponsored.! L jst of sponsors for the event
half of tho hi. t ..Vert threads like a who’s who in radio-tv,

Pontiac, Del Monte
BuyNBC’sNews

NBC Radio this week signed Pon¬
tiac and Del Monte Packing to take
over one-fourth sponsorship of its
85-a-week “News on the Hour” five-
minute capsules for the next 29
weeks following a cutback by Bristol-
Myers in its stake in the package.

half of the newscasts, but asked to
be relieved of half its commitment
for- the summer with the expecta¬
tion that it will return to its pre¬
vious level come the fall.

With the B-M opening, NBC lost
no time in signing Pontiac to a
three-week campaign begun this
Monday (29), and Del Monte to a
26-week deal starting, May 20, the
day the Pontiac deal expires. For
Del Monte, which is introducing a
new juice, this is its.first time ever
in radio! Since the juice is a sum¬
mer item. It would then advertise
its fruit & vegetable products in
September if Bristol-Myers doesn’t
pick . up its additional quarter-
sponsorship at that time.

NBC, incidentally, had the op¬
tion of refusing to accept the B-M
cutback by not renewing them at
all, but because of the drug outfit’s
close relations with the web, NBC
took the cutback as an accommoda¬
tion to the client. The two new
deals, incidentally,- run to $600,000
net over the 29-week span. Lineup
for the newscasts now reads Brown
& Williamson for half, B-M for a
quarter and Pontiac-Del Monte for
the other quarter.

Ballet 12.4; lucy’ 33.4-

Royal Ballet version of “Cinder¬
ella” on NBC-TV’s “Producers’
Showcase” Monday (29) didn't fare
nearly so well as CBS-TV's Rodgers
& Hammerstein version of the
same story last month. The ex-
Sadler’s Wells presentation aver¬
aged out at a 12.4 Trendex fating
for the 90 minutes, easily topping!
the ABC competition but well be- 1
hind CBS.

The half-hour breakdown: gaye.
'Cinderella” ah 11.9 at 8, com-,
pared with 14.4 for “Burns &
Allen” and 6.3 for “Wire Service”
on ABC. At 8:30, it was 13.9 for
-the ballet, 20.4 for “Talent Scouts”
and 4.8 for “Voice of Firestone.”
At 9, the ballet posted 11.3, “I
Love Lucy” hit 33.4 and “Press
Conference” was 1.9. The three-
show CBS average was 22.7.

but participating in the tribute to
Jaffe at the dinner will be Dinah
Shore, Lawrence Tibbett, Ed Sul¬
livan, Sidney Blackmer, Ed & Pe-
geen Fitzgerald, Frank Gallop, Ba¬
sil Rathbone, Helen Mencken, Ar¬
lene Franeis, Conrad Nagel, Ethel
Waters, Lanhy Ross, William Gax-
ton and Conrad Thibault. AH the
networks and major talent agen¬
cies, as weH as several ad agencies,
are industry sponsors, and the
I. event’s honoring ghairman is Eddie
Cantor.

Petrol Specs -

American Petroleum Institute is
preparing to enter television in late
1958 and most of 1959 with a series
of spectaculars celebrating the
100th anni of the discovery of oil
in the U. S. Institute has named
BBD&O its agency for the cam¬
paign, and the agency will actively
supervise preparation of.jhe spe¬
cials.

BBD&O was picked by the Cen¬
tennial Committee of the API,
comprising members of its board
of directors, They set the deal di¬
rect with BBD&O’s Brude Barton,
who’s taking personal charge of the
project. • -

Gaines Prexies WOAI

San Antonio, April 30.

A reorganization of the man¬
agement of Southland Industries
Inc., owners and ^operators of
WOAI and WOAI-TV here, has
been announced by Hugh Jr., new
chairman of the board.

The new appointments include
James M. Gaines, prez and general
manager; George C. Beaury, veepee
arid treasurer; Charles L. Jeffers,
veepee; Howard T. Branch, secre¬
tary; Thelma Prince, assistant
secretary.

R&H Cinderella’ Tops the Nielsens

At least part of CBS-TV’s claims of an audience of 107,000,000
for its March 31 Rodgers & Hammerstein “CiridereUa” spec have
been justified by the latest Nielsen Top 10 list covering the two
weeks ended April 6, “Cinderella” topped the list with an aver¬
age rating of 49.1 and a total audience rating of. 60.6. When
CBS-TV research chief Jav Eliasberg got the overnight Trendex
figures on the spec, he projected the Trendex to a Nielsen total
audience of 61.5, only .9 points off the actual mark. Still'in dis¬
pute, however, is the Trendex viewers-per-set mark of 4.43, and
there won’t be any final say on that since Nielsen doesn’t cover
audience composition. Hence the Nielsen total homes mark
23,30^,000 is in line with the CBS projection, but the actual number
of viewers will never be finally determined. .

With “Cinderella” leading the pack, CBS took seven of the Top
10 places, the other three going to NBC via the Academy Awards
telecast, the Perry Como show and the Tennessee. Ernie stanza.
Top 10 follows:

Total Audience Average Audience

Cinderella (CBS) . 60.6 Cinderella (CBS) .. 49.1

Academy Awards (NBC) ... 48.2 I Love Lucy (CBS) ........ 41.8

I Love Lucy (CBS) . 44.3 G. E. Theatre (CBS) . 40.0

$64,000 Question (CBS) .... 43.0 $64,000 Question (CBS) .... 39.4

G. E. Theatre (CBS) . 42.7 Academy Awards (NBC) .-37.3

Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)- 42.5 Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Disneyland (ABC) . 41.1 (CBS) ... 37.0

Perry Como Show (NBC) ... 40.3 December Bride (CBS) . 35.3

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Gunsmoke (CBS) . 34.2

(CBS) . 39.5. Perry Como Show (NBC) .. 33.2.|

December Bride (CBS) ....'. 37,5 Ford- 13hoW ‘(NBC)- *.:. .v. r.: ’ 33.0

Creative Talent

- Hollywood, April 30.

NBC-TV has decided to elimi¬
nate from its payroll both here and
in Gotham all creative talent hired
originally solely to create. No op¬
tions of such persons will be
picked , up. Move amounts to an
out-and-out reversal of a poUcy
initiated several years go by for¬
mer web prexy. Sylvester (Pat)
Weaver.

‘There is a general movement
toward elimination of creative
people under contract only to cre¬
ate. We have found this doesn’t
work out too well. No options of
such creative producers .will be
picked up as they come up, al¬
though a few Will stay , on as pro¬
ducers of shows,” a top-tier NBC
source said in confirming the weed¬
ing out process.

But, emphasized the exec; “this
doesn’t mean'we want to discour¬
age creative'people.. To the con¬
trary we want them, but we want
them With specific properties, not
just to come in with no series ideas
or properties.” Not affected, for
example, is Jesse Opperiheimer,
who'" is bqsy producing the “Baby
Snooks” series starring* Martha
Raye;. “June,” starring Nanette
Fabray. and the Betty Hutton vid-
series, “That’s My Mom.” Oppen-
heimer is exec producer on the lat¬
ter show.

American Dairy Assn.
Taking $2,000,000 Ride
On Perry Como Show

Chicago, April 30.

American Dairy Assn,, which
earlier had staked out^ a claim
for the “I Love Lucy” reruns but
withdrew when CBS-TV edicted a
Wednesday night at 7:30 slotting
for the series, has switched alle¬
giance to NBC-TV. ADA, starting
in September, will take over an al¬
ternate week one-third portion of
the “Perry Como Show.” It’s'cfose
to a $2,000,000 investment for the
dairy trade group which currently
is repped on ABC-TV’s “Disney¬
land.”

There is a revolving- door angle
to the deal. Glass Wax, riding this-
season on the Como display, is
moving over to Columbia as alter¬
nate sponsor with Sheaffer Pen
on the “Lucy” repeats. * '

Charles Van poren, the egghead
hired recently at $50,000 per an¬
num by NBC-TV, is no show busi¬
ness freak, says A1 Freedman, pro¬
ducer of the NBC-TV quiz, “Twen¬
ty-one.” .

The egghead, the intellectual,
the academician—call the type
What you will—is emerging as an
important new source of straight
entertainment values, Said Freed¬
man. This trend toward latching
on to “personable intellects” is
modest compared to what it prob¬
ably will be in the near future.

In addition to Van Doren, it
turns out now that Mrs. Vivian
Nearing, who dethroned the Co¬
lumbia professor from “Twenty-
one,*’' has been signed by Marty
Baum, a reputable talent agent.
Thirdly, Hank Bloomgarden, latest
in succession to the top of the
quiz—-the man who only five weeks
ago defeated Mrs. Vivienna Near¬
ing—has been approached to act by
WB talent ^cout Harry Mayer;

Freedman allowed as his obser¬
vations might- be challenged by
those who believe the trio’s talents
lay solely in the notoriety accru¬
ing to them by means of a national¬
ly celebrated television program.
If that were v true, they would be
freaks, Freedman said. However,
he pointed out that NBC-TV signed
Van Doren to. a firm three-year
contract; thus, he felt, thA web re¬
alized Van Doren’s value would
long outlast the publicity he re¬
ceived in winning on “Twenty-
one.” Moreover, he didn’t think a
hep outfit such as Music Corp. of
America would have taken on rep¬
resentation of Van Doren’s talents
if prexy Lew Wasserman didn’t
realize the quiz victor had lasting
(Continued on j>age 46)

'Chi Gang’Joins
Mitchell in Frisco

San Francisco, April 30.

Re juggling of top management at
ABC’s o-and-o KGO and KGO-TV
wound up here last week with
shift of two more execs from net’s
Chicago-New. York axis..

In addition, ABC vice-president
John H. Mitchell, who took over
as KGO general manager in Janu¬
ary, hired a veteraft West Coast
radio exec to handle radio opera¬
tions and brought in a Chicago
deejay for prime morning and late-
afternoon chores.

New tv program manager is
George Rice, replacing Russ Baker.
New boss of national spot sales is
Yale Roe. Both are Mitchell-
trained specialists,

New head of radio operations is
Hal Berger, and the new deejay is
Ernie Simon, who’s being launched
in Northern California with a
heavy barrage of publicity. Simon
took to the air yesterday (29) for
daily shows from 6 to 8:45 a.m. and
from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Mitchell previously had split
radio-tv sales, upped Dave Luftdy
to boss .-of radio sales arid left
Dave Sacks in charge of tv sales.

Complete takeover by Mitchell's
“Chicago,gang”—that’s what new
personnel is bfcing' called here
presages an all-out assault by ABC
50,000-watter for top spot in rich
but crowded Northern California
market in which KGO has thus far
played third fiddle, behind CBS
arid NBC outlets.

i

Wedjieaday, May 1, 1957

IIAIUO-TKLK VISION 27

Ford s $5,500,000 CBS Radio Buy

Biggest network radio deal in eight to 10 years is about to be
wrapped up by CBS in the form of a $5,500,000 bundle from Ford.
Deal embraces sponsorship of Ed Murrow, a new Arthur Godfrey’
show, a five-minute news strip and a new early-morning Rosemary
Clooney-Bing Crosby starrer plus additional weekend segments on
the latter. • ,

Web has been working on the deal for over 10 months and it is
finally in the fine-print stages, having passed through Ford’s board
and officers. It's a 52-weeker, with the $5,500,000 a gross figure
which discounts down to about $4,200,000 net. . Deal is being han¬
dled through J. Walter Thompson.

Ford Would sponsor (1) the 7:30-7:45 Ed Murrow newscasts,
Monday-through-Friday, (2) a new 25-minute Arthur Godfrey show,
5:05 to 5:30 p.m. cross-the-board, (3) the 8 to 8:05 a.m. segment of
“World News Roundup,'? cross-the-board, (4) an early-morning. 7 to
7:35 show which Would- costar Miss Clooney and Crosby if CBS
can successfully conclude'negotiations with the talent, and (5) six
five-minute weekend Segments starring Crosby and Miss Clooney.

That's by fsfr.the biggest bundle of business to hit radio from any.
single source since television made its* inital impact. CBS itself
has been pretty well monopolizing the king-sized radio deals, having
made .several multf-million-dollar sales this season alorie,* biggest of
which was, one with Colgate for $3,000,000. ; _

The Shouting of Don McGraw

Southwest Va. Hillbilly Deejay Creates Near Panic
In Claytor Dam Hoax

4 *-—------

Roanoke, April 30.

A hillbilly deejay, with an ap¬
parent yen to become the Orson
Welles of Southwest Virginia, kept
his red-brush clientele in a tizzy]
last week with a fanciful account
of fearful happenings at Claytor
Hydro-Electric Dam, some A0 miles
west of Roanoke. j

The jock, Don McGraw of
WBLU, Salem, Va., teed off last
Tuesday with mysterious hints
about the lake's water bubbling in
an uncanny .manner. He said a New
York geologist was being brought
in by plane to investigate. Divers,
McGraw also reported, were going
down to the bottom to find out
what was what. • Further details
were ^promised as soon as WBLU
. could obtain ihem.

Deluged with telephone inquiries
from excited and credulous listen¬
ers;- the news staff Of WSLS-Radio-
tv, Roanoke, made a check which
revealed" nothing jvas Wrong at
Claytor. Information to that ef¬
fect was carried Tues. night. News¬
papers and other stations also were
swamped.

McGraw’s station operates on
daytime only,' but he returned to
his fantasies Wed. morning, and
all sorts of semi-hysterical rumors
swept his listening area. One re¬
port said a crack was formings in
the dam. Then an airplane was
said to have crashed into Claytor
Lake. Soon a .submarine was re¬
ported to have joined -the plane.
Still later, a strange vehicle from
outer space was alleged to be caus¬
ing those weird" bubbles on the
water’s surface.

As the clamor mounted, repre¬
sentatives of other stations, who
(Continued oh page 51)

Ford Wrapping Up
Lucy-Desi Specs

Heal for Ford to sponsor five
Lucille Ball-rDesi Arnaz spectacu¬
lars will be Wrapped up before
the end of the week. Don Sharpe,
exclusive rep for Miss Ball-.and
Arnaz, is in New York pinning
down the .final details ovt the deal,
which reportedly runs In the
neighborhood of $2,500,000 for
time; talent and exploitation for
the quintet of hourlong filmed
shows. Understood the negotia¬
tions contemplate a longrange ar¬
rangement wdll .beyond the first
year.

Series of five shows no doubt
will be set for exposure via CBS-
TV, since the Arnazes are tied to j
the web by exclusive contract and,
their Desilu Productions, which
will film the shows, is partly
owned by the network. However,
the deal is being • set direct be¬
tween JWT for Ford and the
Arnazes, with the next step" being
an order for tiihe to be placed
with CBS by Ford. ."

The Weekend Ratings

. ABC-TV premiered a spec
and a new show Sunday C28),
but achieved only mediocre
Trendex returns.. Mike Wal¬
lace, teeing off his new inter-
, view segment at 10 p.m., ran
last among the Webs with an
8.5, c.ompared with 18.9 for
“$64,000 Challenge’’ and 20.3
for Loretta Young. Kate
Smith, in her 9-10 spec, edged
out “Alcoa Hour” by a 13.7 to
13.6 average score, but fell vic¬
tim to CBS’ “GE Theatre”
(19.5) and “Alfred Hitchcock
Presents” (22.5).

Ed Sullivan edged out Steve
Allen by a 21.7 to 19.1 count,
with ABC films scoring a 6.2.

In the 7:30 leadin spot, “Circus
Boy” topped Marge Sc Gower
Champion by 13.3 to 11.8, with
ABC’s films hitting 7.0. Satur¬
day night, Perry Como did it
again to Jackie Gleason via a
25,8 to 19.8 score with ABC
• films garnering 3,8.

$15,000,000 3-Yr.
CIosed-TV Gross;
200-City Spread

, Washington, April 30.
More than 100 .organizations
have spertt some $15,000;000 in the,
last three years on closed-circuit
television communication, accord¬
ing to Nathan L. Halpern, presi¬
dent of Theatre Network Televi¬
sion, pioneer closed-tv firm. Not¬
ing that the medium has been em¬
ployed by government and philan- I
thropic agencies, Halpern stressed |
that its major application has been
for business and industry.

The TNT topper disclosed the I
following additional statistics: At
least >4,000,000 persons have been
part of the specially invited closed-
(Continued on page 51)

LEYER CHANGES MIND
ON‘SLEZAK & SON’

A hitch has developed in the
Lever Bros, cqmmitment to spon¬
sor half of the new CBS-TV
“Slezak Sc Son” situation comedy
series in the fall. Nature of the
problem isn’t clear, but it’s' re¬
ported that after first doing flip-
flops over the property, Lever
changed its mind and informed
CBS. it doesn't like the show.

Web isii’t taking the Lever balk
too seriously, since the company
has a firm commitment for the
Tuesday 8:30 time through next
January, and alternate sponsor
Shulton is high on the stanza. But
JLever hasn’t sighed a contract yet,
and CBS is Somewhat mystified as
ff .the reasons. M , , . 3l

By GEORGE ROSEN

So far as the broadcasting indus¬
try is concerned, last week’s con¬
vention of the American Newspa¬
per Publishers’. Assn, marked a,j
turning point. For the first time
in nearly a decade tv was no longer
the whipping boy of the newspaper
magnates.

Significant in the non-agenda,
off-the-cuff corridor discussion in
the assemblage of the nation’s edi¬
tors and newspaper owners at the
Waldorf-Astoria in New York was
the overwhelming acceptance of tv
as a major force in the all-encom¬
passing ' sphere of communications
(something that the newspaper
hierarchy until now had stubborn¬
ly refused to concede, despite the
fact that many of them have been
wearing two hats in their dual role
as newspaper-tv station owners.)

.But unlike the “tv is a dirty
word” attitude assumed at previ¬
ous conventions, last week’s con¬
clave was marked by a new and
wholesome approaoh to the whole
problem of rival media—as though
at long last recognition had come
that tv, whatever the virtues of its
electronic journalism razzmatazz,
is here to stay, and the publishers
have learned to live with it.

But even more important than
this was the underlying awareness
throughout much of the unofficial
chinfesting at the four-day conven¬
tion, of televisions unique role to¬
day as the No. 1 circulation builder
for America’s newspapers — both
daily and Sunday.

Any discussion, for example,,of
newspaper price increases, which
have been fairly widespread over
the past year, inevitably invited the
sequel as to. how these dailies were
making such price boosts palatable
to its readership—and invariably
the answer was wrapped up in the
one word “television.” It wasn’t
necessary to proclaim aloud the
fact that surveys undertaken sep¬
arately and collectively within the
newspaper . fraternity invariably
proved that television coverage
(both in terms of art work-and.edi¬
torial matter)-has become the No. 1
circulation builder for most dailies
around the country.

As an interesting corollary, man¬
aging. editors and city editors at¬
tending the convention with their
publisher bosses kept beating a
steady path to the network press
departments through the course of
the week in the hopes of cementing
the kind of good will and rapport
that will translate itself into ex¬
clusive tv copy for ttieir respective
dailies.

Coast-to-coast, the newspapers
today make no bones as to the up¬
percase status tv has assumed in
their scheme of things.. Since the
major upsurge in coverage started
less than a year' ago. there have^
been a rash of Saturday-Sunday*
weekend supplements, many of
them in color, each demanding spe¬
cial attention and material. Not
in many , years had publisher dis¬
covered such a terrific circulation
builder. ■ Today there are more,
than 100 Sunday papers boasting
their own tv supplement, stimulat¬
ing such an unprecedented demand
for news and special features from
the network press departments that
(Continued on page 46)

Abrahams, Granada-TV to Incept
U.S.-Brit. Inti Program Exchange;
Top Creative Talent Recruited

Weaver Waver*?

Fact sheet on program avail¬
abilities for the “network” be¬
ing projected, by Pat Weaver
for the top 20 television mar¬
kets has occasioned some eye¬
brow raising, particularly
among those regarding Weaver
as the “exponent of the uplift.”

Here, along With “Ding Dong
School,*’ are some of the day¬
time entries listed:

“Welcome Travelers,” “It
Pays To Be Married,” “Feather
Your Nest,” “Winner Take
All” and “Dollar A Second.”

■ First major television interna¬
tional exchange program between
the U, S. and Great Britain involv¬
ing top creative talent has been set
into motion. Eventually designed
as a two-way exchange, its initial
phase involves visits by top U. S.
television producers, directors and
writers to England to do one-shot
stints on Granada-TV, the commer¬
cial network operated by Sydney
and Cecil Bernstein.

Exchange program was the Bern¬
stein's idea, and it vvas touched off
through Mort Abrahams, the exec
producer of NBC-TV’s Showcase
Productions, who is already busy
contacting U. S’, producers, direc¬
tors and writers. "Abrahams him¬
self will do. at least two shows for
Granada, and he’s set Reginald
Rose’s v^rks, along with directors
Clark Jones, Franklin Schaffner,
Charles Dubin, Sidney Lumet,
Ralph Nelson and Don Medford for
one-shots already.

In the case of Rose, two things
have happened. Abrahams has
gotten verbal approval from Rose
to allow Granada to do all'his tele¬
vision works not currently tied up
in motion picture deals, and has
gotten a specific okay for a re¬
write of Rose’s “Thunder on Syca¬
more Street.” Latter teleplay was
originally written as a story on
a potential gross to the net of! housing discrimination against a
about «$8,000,000. ! Negro, but was changed for its

This is how the $8,000,000 figure

MBS’$8,000,000
Gross Potential
On New ‘Format’

Mutual’s new “either, or” con¬
tractual proposal to the affiliates,
which drastically limits network
programming and revenues, offers

is Arrived at:

The news on the half-hour which
would go to the net for national
sale in return for an equal five-
minute of news for local sponsor¬
ship would approximate 17 news
casts per day. With -each newstfAst
sold at about $700, the return over
a period of a year would be about-
$4,300,000.

plan is to have 20-second and
eight-second “ID’s” for net sale,
placed, around net’s five-minute
newscasts. These represent a po¬
tential of about $2,250,000.

Additionally, there is the Sun¬
day religious block which repre¬
sents about $1,500,000 in coin year¬
ly, with about $500,000 going to sta¬
tions affiliates clearing time. An¬
other $1,000,000 is seen for the
multi-message adventure-mystery
midweek block, the time for which
the net swaps with the stations,
offering them a half-hour of myst¬
ery-adventure programming.'

On paper, the $8,000,000 gros¬
sing potential appears good, with
about $4,000,000, estimated in run¬
ning the net, programming, lines,
operational, etc. Of course, the
$8,000,000 presupposes a complete
sellout on the newscasts, TD’s/'
etc. But there are “holes” in the
plan. Number one is. whether the
affiliates will sign on the dotted
line. New contracts, which take ef¬
fect June 2, are making the rounds,
and it’s conceded much can happen
between an -affiliates’ committee
okay and getting the stations’ con¬
tracts. Another' question is whether
the advertisers, Kraft, Miles, etc.,
now heavily in news shows
MBS, will swing along to the new
format at renewal time.

FCC As Music Critics

The

Washington, April 30.

Federal Communications
Commission may try to raise pro¬
gramming standards but it cannot
tell stations that “thou shalt play
Beethoven, not bebop.” So hear¬
ing examiner Herbert* Sharfman
held ^yesterday (Mon.) in a report
recommending that sale of Wash¬
ington’s . “Good Music” station,

WGMS, jo RKO Teleradio Pictures
be allowed. An issue in the pro¬
ceeding is whether WGMS vio¬
lated program commitments when
it obtained an increase in power.

. Sharfman said he does not think
the Commission should act “as an
Impresario” in detpmiining what

W W e l. g ® 0< ? “"sfe t i‘ T1 ?£ .ft? 1 ! te'” 3

that good music is good music
should ' not obscure the further
fact that there are conflict! Which
the Commission, even if were not
prohibited by statute, should find
it politic to refrain from exacer¬
bating. The Commission is not
equipped or called upon to satisfy
the cultists and partisans whose
only unifying characteristic is de¬
votion to* good music. If it sought
to formulate or dictate a program
format it would inevitably be com¬
pelled to take the brunt of criti¬
cisms about program details which
under the present regime are prop¬
erly an occupational discomfort of
the licensee. This would be a stul¬
tification ’of the regulatory proc-

l 5 1 J' S-Cl i i*1 E*

U. S. production on “Studio One”
to discrimination against an ex-
conwict. The ‘ Granada version
would restore the Negro angle, but
making the central figure a Jamai¬
can to give the play topicality in
England today. Schaffner, who di¬
rected the original “Thunder” on
“Studio One,” has indicated he'd
like to do the British version.

Jones, ^ho - directed Monday
night’s j29) “Producers’ Showcase”
edition of the Royal Ballet (ex-Sad¬
ler’s Wells) presentation of “Cin¬
derella” (on which Abrahams was
exec producer), would repeat the
production for Granada if the
Bernsteins can work out a deal
with the ballet troupe to do the
show, on British tv. Dubin will re¬
peat one of his “Omnibus” stints,
either “My Heart’s in the High-
continued on page 44)

Civil War Still
Too Controversial’

“The Grey Ghosts,” the CBS
Television Film Sales series on the
Civil War, appears to be the hot¬
test contender for the CBS-TV
Sunday at 6 spot come the fall.
CBS-TV sales force reportedly has
a couple of hot prospects on tap
for the series, which concerns the
adventures of Mosby’s Raiders, the
Southern cavalry unit.

As a footnote on the quirks of
some television sponsors, CBS
Film Sales has run into instances
where sponsors have turned down
the show because it’s “too contro¬
versial.” These advertisers, a small
minority of those approached with
the show, felt that the Civil War
is still too touchy a subject for tv
sponsorship, even though the
heroes of the show are Southern
soldiers.

Phil Rizzuto’s CBS Radio
Deal for Sports Strip

CBS Radio has signed Phil Riz-
zuto to two - year - plus options
contract, with the ex-Yankee’s first
assignment to be the web-’s 7 to
7:05 p.m. cross-the-board sports
strip. Under the deal, Rizzuto is
exclusive to CBS for radio, with
the exception of his WINS, N. Y.,
stint covering the the Yankee
games.

Rizzuto will move into the sport*
JgSjtVtlp June 17. ? i3) C1

28

TV-FILMS

isfitRiEfr

Latin America s Big $$ Potential
For D.S. Telefilms Cited by Manson

A bullish Latin American mar¬
ket for American telefilm outfits,
with. U. S. telefilm companies “con-''
servatively” earning from $1,500,-
000 to $2,000,000 from the market
in 1957, was portrayed by John
Manson, director of Latin Ameri"
can operations for Screen Gems,
in for home office talks.

The $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 esti¬
mate which, according to Manson
may go a good amount above that,
represents a 50% rise in gross
earnings for U. S. telefilm outfits
as compared to a year ago.

Manson attributed the rise and
the continued growth of the tv
Latin American market to the fol¬
lowing factors:

1. With the exception of a few
countries, most Latin American
nations are riding on an upward
economic curve.

2. Television facilities, unlike
Europe and elsewhere, are private¬
ly-owned, commercially-sponsored
in the U. S. pattern in all Latin
American countries with the "ex¬
ception of Argentina and Columbia.

3. Television will make its debut
in Peru and Nicaragua in *57 and
'58. The medium just got started
for Uruguay, where a station was
opened in Montevedio. '

4. American companies find Lat¬
in American a “wonderful” mar-,
ket, with public acceptance of
products such as flowing from
Procter & Gamble, Colgate, etc.
This, in turn, has caused, some
American firms as well as Euro¬
pean firms * to establish manufac¬
turing units in Latin America.

5. Dubbing in the Spanish-speak¬
ing language has become a fine
technique, winning broader accept¬
ance of U. S. telefilms.

Screen Gems which has three
dubbed series, including “Adven¬
tures of Bin Tin Tin,” and “All
Star Theatre-” (Ford Theatre), is
propping three more for the mar¬
ket, “Circus Boy,” “Father Knows
Best,” and “Tales of the Texas
Banger.” The Columbia subsid,
operating out of Mexico City where
it has its dubbing facilities, plans
to enter into co-production deals
with local producers as the market
grows, or get into production on
its own- there. But that step is
seen from three to five years away,
although a possible intermediate
step of shooting a series with a
Latin American locale, or possibly
producing a series in two versions,
English and Spanish language, is
seen.

With illiteracy high and print
readership comparatively low in
Latin America on the whole, radio
currently is the most potent adver¬
tising medium, according to . Man-
(ContinUed on page 50)

Paynes $400,

For ‘Westerner’

Hollywood,' April 30.

John Payne, skipping all the¬
atrical films this year in order to
concentrate on his vidpix series,
“The Westerner,”'will earn a mini¬
mum of $400,000 in 1957 despite
the ’bypassing of feature films.

• Payne, who bows on his firsl tv
series in the fall ojo NBC-TV, com¬
ments that in his opinion /there is
far less of a gambling element, in
tv than there is in theatrical films.

Payne said he has made money
on .every one of his nine partici¬
pation deals in pix, but pointed
out nonetheless itris a gamble, that
no one can predict the eventual
b.o. of a film. On the other hand,
in tv he will draw a salary of
$200,000 for the 39 films, and in
addition owns 50% of the nega¬
tives, with NBC-TV in for .25%
and Bevue, 25%. This means a
fat chunk of the rerun coin after
the series which bows next fall
has had its first run.

Participations, on the other
hand, have varied as nuich as
$168,000 for “Kansas City, Confi¬
dential,” to $56,000-;for “Raiders
of the Seven Seas.” Star normally
draws $75,000 a pic on a flat basis,
In addition to the $200,000 tv coin
he’ll be earning this year, he has
already earned around $200,000 on
various spread payments for pic¬
ture commitments, such* As on his
Paramount deal. Coin is for actual
salary, deferment payments and
participation on pix.

Detroit’* Glamor Preem

Detroit, April 30.

WWJ-TV kicked off its tele¬
casting of; Screen Gems’ “Hol¬
lywood Premier Parade” with
a novel debut stunt on Sunday
(28), inyiting a premiere au¬
dience of civic and business
leaders to the station’s large
theatre-like auditorium where
“You Can’t Take It With You”
was projected on the auditori¬
um's large screen, at the same'
time of the theatrical telecast
at 9:30 p.m.

Preceding the telecast and
“screening” was a half-hour
“live” pickup of'ceremonies in
the street and'the lobby of the
auditorium, ' simulating ‘ the
/-pickups from Broadway the¬
atres of Opening nights of JHol-
lywood pix. In addition to the
150 invited civic and business
leaders on hand were the top
tv personalities of the station
and contest winners in a pro¬
motion stunt for the pic.

$2,115,000 Denove
Suit Vs. Lesser
On ‘Tarzan’ Pix

Hollywood, April 30.

Television producer Jack Denove
filed a $2,115,000 suit in Superior
Court against Sol Lesser, Norman
Freeman and Sol Lesser Produc¬
tions Inc., charging fraud and Ask¬
ing an accounting and appoint-,
ment of a receiver for the upcom¬
ing “Tarzan” vidpic series.

Denove claims an. oral agreement
in May, 1955, under which he was
to devote himself to production of
the minimum 39 Telepix for which
he was to receive 10% participa¬
tion in film sale and distribution;
10% of the net profit in all other
disposition, plus a $500 fee as pro¬
ducer of each film. It was, he
charges, also agreed to form a cor¬
poration of which he. was to get
50% of the stock.

Belying, on contract, he . said he
hired writers, held i conferences,
produced promotional film, nego¬
tiated for studio and refused other
business to take care of “Tarzan.”
He charged the defendants never
intended completing, their part of
the. contract. He estimated de¬
fendants would make $13,500,000
and asked $1,365,000 as his share,
also asked $500,000 damages and
$250,000 punitive damages since
they acted “with malice.”

Television Programs of America
prez Milton Gordon and foreign
sales manager Manny Reiner left
Monday (29) for London and the
Continent for a> three-week produc¬
tion and sales swing . . V-Willard
Block, formerly with the NBC-TV
sales staff, joined CBS Television
Film Sales- as. an account exec in
the N.Y. office ... Chalmers Dale
upped ■ from supervisor . .of thfe
broadcast film operations division
of the CBS-TV film services depart¬
ment to assistant manager of ..the
department under Gordon Shad-
wick . . . Arthur Storch signed for
a lead in “West Point” vidpix
series . . . Don Morrow signed for
a new series of tv blurbs for Zest.
. » . Dave Piel to do the animation
for the Crocket Johnson strip, “Bar-
naby”... Mae Questel, the original
voice of -Betty Boop and Olive
Qyl, to supply voice-over for some
of the Buick commercials .. . “Har¬
bourmaster,” the new Ziv package
slated for CBS-TV in the fall under
B. J. Beynolds-Colgate sponsorship,
was actually created at the William
Esty agCncy by v.p. Sam North-
cross, with ZiV then brought in to
do .the pilot. “Harbourmaster” is
still a tentative title, but the use
ot the “u” stems from the fact
that the, sign used in pilot is one
first put up about 200 years ago
when European spelling was .still
in vogue .... Robert Manby, v.p.
in charge of BKO Teleradio activi¬
ties, has returned from a short
vacation . . . Don Garrett, Screen
Gems publicist, has returned’ from
Detroit . r. Ernest Pintoff, former¬
ly with UPA and CBS, has joined
with Robert Lawrence, prez of
Robert Lawrence Productions, to
form Pintoff - Lawrence Produc¬
tions, a commercial animated tv

outfit . David Ross just back

from his Poet’s Gold poetry recital
at the Library of Congress, to do
Revlon commercial on the $64,000
Question.” Ross’ nevv and enlarged
anthology “Poet’s Gold” getting big
play in colleges

Heinz in 26-Week

‘Studio57’ Renewal

Hollywood, April 30.

“Studio 57” has been renewed by
Heinz, which is picking up the tab
for 26 more of the vidfilms, to be
seen next season.

Revue Productions turns out the
anthology series. Deal involves ap¬
proximately $900,000 in production
coin. Dick Lewis produced the
series this season, but Revue has
switched him over to produce its
new “Wagon Train” . series.

New ‘Superman’ Cycle

Hollywood, April 30.

Kellogg has renewed “Super¬
man” so producer Whitney Ells¬
worth will launch production this
summer on 13 new segments star¬
ring George Beeves with Noel
Neill as femme lead.

Production budget for series is
around $500,000.

You Can’t Cheat ’Em in Telepix

McCadden’s AI Simon Sez Audiences More Critical,
Can Recognize Phoniness

Hollywood, April 30,
Cheaters no longer prosper, so
far as telepix production goesi ac¬
cording to Al Simon, v,p. of Mc-
Cadden Productions and producer
of NBC-TV “Panic” series. “Au¬
diences won’t accept What they saw
five or six years ago,” he com¬
mented, adding that putting “qual¬
ity” production into the “Panic”
series hikes his budget at least
20%. “Producers must realize
that audiences are now more criti¬
cal, and while they can’t analyze it,
they can tell when the producer is
‘cheating’ them.”: -

Audiences want to know what to
expect, and will come" back week
after week to familiar: programs,
Simon also believes..This.“stylized”
quality is ’largely responsible for
the, success cif such' shows as
“Burns &* Allen” and “Dragnet,”
he strongly feels. :

The only suitable substitute for
a dramatic anthology series is
familiar star • names,': Such as, in
“G. E< .Theatre” • or; • “Schlitz,”
Simon contends. But, in his-“Panic”
series, he'deliberately aims for “a
I sameness, a formula,” in the story¬

telling mode. In this case, the for¬
mula is much like a newspaper
•story, in which the main story
points are laid out in a “lead,” Si¬
mon observes. .

This formula is rather confining,
he admits. “I don’.t have the time
to build character, or to allow dia¬
log to vary from the problem at
hand. After all, I’ve only got ,25
minutes "to telj. a story,’and I’ve got
to get in an awful lot.” As a mat¬
ter of technique, all camera angles
and all story viewpoints are those
of the protagodist and no subsidi¬
ary characters are allowed to be
developed, Simon discloses.

Despite ' this,. it’s possible to
cover a wide range of subjects, Si¬
mon states. As an example, oq,e
upcoming segment of “Panic” is a
romantic adventure, and another,
based on records of San Francisco
vigilante committees, is the‘first
period piece attempted , on* the
■Series.

Mor» TV Film News
On fag* 50

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Wm. Esty Makes the Long Hop for Unique^
‘Brewer’s Gold’ Teleblurbs

-, —*+

Dudelson’s SG Post

Stanley Dudelson, presently
north central division manager of
Screen Gems, has been named
midwest division manager, effec¬
tive today (1), headquartering in
Chicago. He will replace Henry
A. Gillespie, resigned.

Also joining the midwest syndi¬
cation division are William E.
Young, formerly in the eastern di¬
vision, and Ted., Swift, formerly
with Guild Films and Ziv. Depart¬
ing with Gillespie from the Chi¬
cago ^office is Pat Raystall,

TV-Fihnites to Be
Put on Gov’t Spot
For Data in Probe

Washington, - April 30. '

. federal Communications Com¬
mission begins the first of what is
expected to be a series of investi¬
gatory hearings tomorrow (.Wed:)
in New York to obtain data re¬
quired for completion of its broad
scale study of network operations.
The hearings will be held at the
Federal Court .House in Foley
Square befpre James D. Cunning¬
ham, chief hearing examiner of
the Commission.

Seven indie film producers have'
been subpenaed to appear at to¬
morrow's session with replies to
questionnaires which they have de«-
dined to submit voluntarily. They
are: Ralph M. Cohn, veepee and
general manager of Screen Gems,
Inc. (Columbia subsid); Harry
Fleischman, • prez, Entertainment
Productions Inc.; Harry L. Hack-
ett, prez.i Official Films; Charles
Miller, secy., Revue Productions
(MCA subsid); Michael L. Siller-
man, exec veepee. Television Pro- |
grams of America* John L. Sinn, j
prez, Ziv Television Programs Inc.;
and MCA-Television, Ltd. All are
New York firms.

Commission officials concerned
with the network study, indicated
the purpose of the hearings is to
force, a showdown with those in¬
dustry segments which have failed
to comply with’the agency’s re¬
quest for data. Whether there will
be questioning of the witnesses ap¬
parently will depend on whether
the required data is submitted.

Hitherto, the Commission net¬
work study staff has maintained a
policy of keeping confidential all
data received from the industry.
The hearings beginning this week,
which are designated as “investi¬
gatory proceedings,” will be public.

The Commission publicly ac¬
knowledged about a month ago that
it was having. difficulty getting
the data if wants for its network
study. “Certain ‘ persons, firms
and companies,” it revealed, had
either “ignored” requests for in¬
formation or had “expressed re¬
luctance” to come through volun¬
tarily with the data desired.

To lpeet the situation, the Com¬
mission armed its director of the
Network Study Committee staff,
Dean Roscoe L/> Barrow, with* sub-
pena power for “the production of
documentary and oral evidence”
at proceedings to be convened
wherever appropriate.'

Push Tom Mix Series
Despite Daughter’s Tiff

Hollywood, April 30*

Harold Shumate w.as set last
week to script five further seg¬
ments of Family Films “Adven¬
tures of Tom Mix” series, by exec
producer Sam Hersh. Pilot. is
currently making the agency-spon¬
sor rounds in N. Y.

Still hanging fire is threatened
legal action against series by Mrs.
Ruth Mix Hill, daughter of the.
late cowboy, star.. She recently
warned'Family Films and packag¬
ing William Morris office that her
permission had not been obtained
for the project/ 1 BtoweVer,: L. A.
Superior Court has okayed a .deal
between Family Films .and the Mix
estate. i

P. Ballantine & Sons, which does
not produce Dutch lager, went all
the way to Holland to come up with
“Brewer’s Gold” commercials cur¬
rently riding radio and tv spots
which are making mouths water.

Why* to a foreign country? Ac¬
tually, the inspiration for the long
hops (no Pun intended) came from
Joe Forest. He’s veepee in charge
of teleblurbs for the William Esty
agency, which has the Ballantine
account. Forest was in Holland
back in '52 during the great floods
and has .been going back regularly
to that and. other European coun¬
tries. On'one of his business visits
he made, the acquaintance of Joop
Geesink, who has a film studio in
Amsterdam specializing in the use
of his “Dollywood”’ puppets for
stop-action animation.

Forest says he Went hook, line
and Geesink for the puppets. For
one thing, they are of a style and
fabrication not seen in the U.S.,
says Forest. “An animated com¬
mercial made by one of our own
top companies would not contrib¬
ute the ‘difference’ ,we were-after,
technically proficient as they would
otherwise be,” Forest observes,
“They would look too familiar.
Moreover, Geesink • has excellent
facilities—I wouldn’t say suffici¬
ently below the production Costs
here that alone would warrant the
travel and setting up, but competi¬
tive pricewise, aside from the fact
of_their uniqueness. And let’s, not
forget that in today’s jet age, Am¬
sterdam is hardly farther away
than Hollywood.”

' The “Brewer’s Gold” jingles, the
storyboard, etc., are all set up at
the Esty agency in New York in
advance and then Forest’s ..carries
the ball to the Geesink studio. The
spots are produced under Forest’s su¬
pervision within a couple of weeks
or so. Currently in the collection
are a pirate, a ship’s captain and a
goldmiiiing prospector, and coming
up is Klondike Pete, the first one
to be done in color.

“Brewer’s Gold,” although- it^ is
the running theme in the jinfle,
is not a'created phrase. It refers
to a special type of “dry” hops of
which Ballantine buys the over¬
whelming part of the available
supply. The campaign, launched
in February, is strictly for Ballan¬
tine Ale*.

Forest notes that lots of custom¬
ers are corning into the stores ask¬
ing for “Brewer’s Gold”—thinking
that’s a Ballantine product. “The
outlets in Ballantine’s sales area
are smart by now r ” Forest says.
“They trot out Ballantine’s Ale.”

Goodson-Todman
Into Feature Pix

Goodson-Todman, tv packagers,
plans to produce a feature.film this
summer in association with Co¬
lumbia Pictures,. and has assigned
producer Matthew Rapf to explore
several story properties,

. Rapf, in New York for confabs,
has several features to his credit
during his association with Metro.
While east, Bapf also is meeting
with a number-of talent agencies
on “The Quill and the Gun,” a
new western telefilm'series which
he will produce for G-T.

Activity'also was noted on G-T’s
“Landmark” one hour telefilm
series, with CBS-TV taking a two-
week extension on the option pre¬
viously signed.

‘Sea Dog’ Series

Hollywood, April 39-
Second telefilm series of newly
formed Howard Productions, head¬
ed by former KTLA publicist How¬
ard Wormser, is “The Sea Dog,”
with Ron McNeil and Don Hix co-
starring., Pilot for cdlorfilmed
skein rolls May 13' at Balboa, with
Paul. Mason directing the Neil
Ames script.

Last week, first Howard project,
a-pilot consisting of six 10 -minute
segments starrihg'Dell O’Dell, was
lensed at former local headquar¬
ters of fiow-dcfunct Progressive
Net.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PfiRmff

TV-FILMS

29

NO TIME FOR TELEPIX COMEDY

*

+•

Stars Play 'Supermarket Circuit’

The supermarket circuit is becoming a matter of increasing in¬
terest to Vidpiyers and telefilm sponsors in the personal appear¬
ance-promotion scheme of things. John Hart, who plays “Hawk-
eye” in Television Programs of America’s “Last of the Mohicans,”
is doing some pioneering in that field by doing the goodwill bit to
a turn in some six cities where the show is sponsored.

Hart’s appearances are by invitation of the sponsors, run one or
two days, and involve radio-tv appearances, parties and receptions,
but most important, a whirl around the supermarket circuit, more-
often than not hitting every one in the city. In Roanoke, for
Bunker Hill'Corned Beef, he hit 35 markets in a two-day stay
two weeks ago. He’s set to host a reception in Los Angeles May 6
through 10 for regional sponsor Langendorf Bakeries, then heads
east again for a one-day stay May 14 in St. Petersburg for Hood’s
Dairies and Bell Bakeries, again for a supermarket whirl.

Tour picks up May 18 and 19 in Albany-Troy area for Stewart’s'
Ice Cream—again through the fodd chains, and on June 4 and 5,
he goes into Sioux City and Sioux Falls for the Consumers Co-op
Markets. Already set but without a firm date is an appearance
in Toledo for the opening of a new Kroger market (that’s his
WSPD-TV sponsor) inflate June or early July. Finally, his stint
in Roanoke went over so well, that he’s got two repeat invites, one
from the city itself for a May 30 civic festival and another from
Bunker filil in mid-June for- another go-round with the food
chains. . . _

Revue Production’s $21,000,000
Firm Commitments on Vidpix

Hollywood, April 30. ■<

Revue Productions and vidfilm-
eries associated with it have firmed
vidpix series involving approxi¬
mately $21,000,000 in production
coin for next season, an alltime
record figure for any Hollywood tv I
pix organization. The' impressive
success story comes at a time when
most telefilm producers are singing
the blue^ in this heavy casualty
season. MCA is the sales arm of
the mushrooming Revue produc¬
tion unit quartered at Republic
studios.

The peak production figure
doesn’t necessarily represent the
maximum for . the company, since
MCA is- still in -negotiations on
other series for next season. Be¬
cause of Revue’s upped tempo in
vidpix production, Republic prexy
Herbert J. Yates is building three
additional stages for the vid-
filmery. J

Series firmed for next season are j
all network, except for “State j
Trooper,” which is syndicated, j
They are “The Westerner,” John
Payne starrer; “Wells Fargo,” Dale ;
Robertson toplining; Schlitz Play¬
house, anthology series; GE The¬
atre, also anthology; “Wagon
Train,” hour-long series; “Crisis,”
also hour-long; Alfred Hitchcock
Presents; Studip 57, another an¬
thology series; “Dragnet,” *and
“Trooper.”

Series to be seen on NBC are
“Westerner,” “Fargo,” “Train,”,
“Crisis” arid “Dragnet,” .while
slated- for CBS viewing are GE,
Schlitz and the half-hour Hitch¬
cock series.

‘Private Eyeful’

On SG’s Agenda

Hollywood, April 30. .

Eddie Buzzell has been set to
produce-direct a new telepix series
revolving about v a femme. private
eye, entitled “The Private Eyeful,”
for Screen Gems. Series will be
based on novels and short stpries
of Henry Kane, who’* 1 been inked
by Buzzell to script. Buzzell is
currently casting for lead..

Last week, SG topper Irving
Briskin also set a new skein tenta¬
tively tagged “Forever . . . Eva;”
packaged by Alexander Paal and
Eva Bartok, with Miss Bartok to
star. Each seg will star or feature
a different male, lead opposite Miss
Bartok, with each stanza to he
located in a different U. S. city.

G-K’s African Series

Hollywood, April 30.

Here for confabs with Gross-
Krasne is Brian Robson, exec with
Phoenix Productions, British firm
lensing two telefilm series in Nai¬
robi* in conjunction with G-K.

Series,. now rolling, are “Afri¬
can Patrol” and-“Adventures of A
Jungle Boy.”

92 Cities for ‘Kane’

Market list now . set to air Ziv’s
“New Adventures of Martin Kane”
has reached the -92-city market, as
four major regional advertisers
inked deals for the skein.

Kroger Stores signed for Colum¬
bus, O., (WBNS-TV), Sun Oil Co.
in Tampa-St.. Petersburg fWTVT),
and Duquesne Brewing of Pitts¬
burgh for Huntington, W. Va.
(WSAZ-TV). An earlier client,
Anheuser-Busch pacted for two
more “Kane!’ markets, bringing its
total to 14.

NTA’s Statistical
Joy on Network’s
Combined Ratings

Chicago, April 30.'

. The NTA Film Network is prov¬
ing to be a ratings hypo for its -af¬
filiates, according to’ a raft of sta¬
tistics dealt out here last week by
NTA prexy Ely Landau.

Reading off comparative ratings
to the Broadcast Advertisers Club
of Chicago, Landau demonstrated
how “Premiere Performance” has
perked previously weak time slots
on such NTA affiliates as WPIX in
New York, WGN-TV in Chicago,
and KTTV in Los Angeles. Along¬
side these plusses, a 15-city Tren-
dex of "Suez” gave the debut
“Premiere Performance” shows a
10.1 rating against 38.9 for all
competitors; networks and stations
Combined the first week in April.

In New York, on WPIX, ‘/Suez”
pullfed an average 11.2 between
the three rating services. The sta-
(Continued ~on page ^50)

‘OSS’ on Location

London, April 30.

Location lensing started yester¬
day (Mon.) on the “OSS” telepic
series, which moves into the Na¬
tional Studios, Elstree, ijext Mon¬
day (6). ’ The skein is being dis¬
tributed by Flamingo Films and is
a Co-production venture With In¬
corporated Television Program Co.,
the British outfit headed by Lew
Grade.

The series, based on the hither¬
to secret files of the Office of Stra-
tegc Service, will star Ron Ran-
dell as an OSS agent. He re¬
turned to London recently from
Hollywood to take up this commit¬
ment. Robert Siodmak, who has
already made the pilot, will he di¬
rector, with Jules Buck acting as
executive producer. Colonel Bill
Eliscu is overall supervisor for the
series, and scripts are by Paul 1
Dudley.

Major Telefilm Outfits Stuck With
Costly Pilots; Screen Gems Has 18
But Still Searching for Clients

-.-:- ; -f

By DAVE KAUFMAN
Hollywood, April 30.

Murder, mayhem, derring-do—*
and a heavier-than-usual supply of
westerns—will fake over the na¬
tion’s television screens next sea¬
son, judging from the pattern of
sales thus far this spring. For the
first time since “I Love Lucy” iri-
itiated the situation-comedy trend
six years ago, the drift is away
from comedies with few exceptions,
and toward actioneers, oaters, mys-
teriosos and swashbuckling series.
About 45 series in these categories
have been sold, and it appears 75%
of the telefilm shows next season
will be along these lines.

Come next season, the private
eye, the saddle-sore hero, the slick
•sleuth and the hell-bent-for-actioner
wiir predominate where once the
situation comedy held sway. By
far the greater percentage Of sales
made so far fall into those cate¬
gories, indicating a desire on the
part of the sponsor for something
different, and, at the same time,
a weariness with the situation com¬
edy which once dominated every
network’s. programming.

With the sales season still under
way, the pattern is emerging clear¬
ly, with 17 hoss operas bought, a
hike of nine over the previous sea¬
son; 14 mysteriosos or suspense
series, an uppance of 10; seven ac¬
tioneers, up two; and six derring-
do, four of them new entries.

ABC-TV leads the film in the
oater field, with eight scheduled,
half of them new entries. Upcom¬
ing in the ABC fold are the estab¬
lished westerns, “Wyatt Earp,”
“Cheyenne,” “Broken Arrow” and
“Lone Ranger,” plus these new
shows: “Sugarfoot,” “The Califor¬
nians,” “Maverick” and “The
Texan.” Runners up in the saddle
derby are NBC and CBS, each .with
four. NBC- is slotting three new
oaters, “The Westerner,” “Pony
Express” and “Wagon Train,” plus
“Wells Fargo,” a holdover. CBS’
new western is “Have Gun—Will
Travel,” which joins the regulars,
“Gunsmoke,” Dick Powell’s Zane
Grey Theatre, and “Tales of the
Texas Rangers:” In addition there
are syndicated ' entries, such as
Desilu’s “Sheriff of Cochise.”

. Major- increase, however, is in
mysteriosos or suspense stories,
with 14 shows in these classifica¬
tions already snagged for next year
as compared to a paltry four the
past season. ABC and NBC lead
the field here, each with five such
series, with ABC adding four while
NBC adds three.

Tentatively pencilled in for ABC
programming next fall are such
series as MGM Mystery Theatre,
Walter Winchell’s eops-’n’-robbers
series; OSS, a cloak-and-dagger en¬
try; and “U F.61,” a NY version of
“Dragnet,”'all new shows, and they
will join “Men Against Crime,”
only such show on the" web the
past season. NBC’s new series
here are the hour-long “Crisis”
shoW'» part of which jwill he pro¬
duced and directed by > Alfred
Hitchcock; “Meet McGraw,” a pri¬
vate eye series, and “Escape.”

(Continued on page 50)

On U Henry

t

Hollywood, April 30.

Gross-Krasne’s “O. Henry Play¬
house” vidpi'c series,- in distribu¬
tion since October, has grossed
approximately $1,500,000 and the
production firm has now recouped
its nut.

Personal appearances by star
Thomas Mitchell was believed a
big help in promoting the series
and Jstunt. will be used again on
other series which firm will do.
G-K had own distribution company
until they sold it to MCA a few
years ago. When they initiated
“O. Henry” they decided to sell it
on own. “We gambled anjl the
gamble paid off.”

More ‘Luther’ Lather

That .official Catholic opposi¬
tion will continue to trail the
“Martin Luther” biopic was
made evident, by John La-
Farge. editor of the Jesuit
publication “America.” Ap¬
pearing on Mike Wallace's
“Night Beat,” Friday (26),
WABD, NT Y., Father LaFarge
questioned the propriety of
any station to present a film
offensive to anyone’s religion.
He objected to “misrepresenta¬
tions” in “Martin Luther” and
charged it has an “anti-Catho-
lic slant.” He acknowledged
that Lutherans and others
have a right to see the film,
but felt that the broadcasting
medium is not the vehicle for
films which have any “slant”
against any religion;

‘Luther Hubbub’s
Fat 28.2 Payoff;
Non-Partisan Aud

Chicago, April 30.
Initial Windy City tv showing
of the “Martm Luther” biopic
grabbed off a big'28.2 rating last
week via WBKB, according to a
special ARB survey. Film, which
undoubtedly had ihe' biggest ad¬
vance buildup in the history of- lo¬
cal video after it became the cen¬
ter of a bitter theological contro¬
versy, drew 55% of the sets in use,
with the other three stations split¬
ting up the rest fairly evenly.

“Luther” was projected into the
“hot potato” class last December
when WGN-TV called off* what
would have been its national debut
on tv. After the Chicago Catholic
archdiocese said it had* not and
would not officially protest the
telecastihg of the full-length fea¬
ture, it was slotted last Tuesday
(23) night on WBKB by Community
Builders.

Despite the. big play given the
jwrangle in the local press and a
couple of slashing attacks* on the
film’s “historical accuracy” in the
diocese weekly newspaper, the- tv
screening prompted relatively little
partisan reaction. WBKB the the
two days following the showing re¬
ceived 182 phone calls of which 121
were rated . as favorable and 61
were protests against the. picture.

At week’s end the ABC-TV sta¬
tion had received 263 “Luther” let¬
ters, all but nine* either praised the
film or the station for carrying-it.

Pact Jayne Meadows
For New Vidpix Series

Hollywood, April 30.
Jayne Meadows has signed with
producer Quinn Martin to^topline
an untitled telepix series he’s cur¬
rently prepping with scripter Shirl
Gorden (of “Bob Cummings
Show”), with tentative, plans to
start by fall.

Martin f is discussing below-line
filming deal with Desi Arnaz of
Desilu. Project would be first tele¬
film ..venture for Miss Meadows.

AAP’s $750,000 Deal
For Memphis Features

Associated Artists Productions
inked a library deal for the Warner
post-’58 theatricals with WREC-TV,
Memphis, for about $750,000.

WREC-TV deal came a few
weeks after Metro-TV in the same
market sold its library to RKO
Teleradio’s o&o WHBQ-TV.

At midpoint in the buying period
for next season’s shows,, many ma¬
jor telefilm outfits find themselves
out on the limb with unsold pilots,
with Screen Gems, the giant in the
field, in the most exposed position.

The Columbia subsid, which
said it would come in with 18
pilots, already has 11 in the can,
representing a considerable invest¬
ment, none of which at this stage
is sold.

Additionally, .Screen Gems had
two network shows “Bengal Lanc¬
ers” and “Circus Boy” axed after a
one season outing, and the lucra¬
tive long-playing “Ford Theatre”
is headed for the cancellation
route.

Off-setting this somewhat have
been the renewals on other SG
networked shows “Father Knows
Best,” by Scott Tissues, “Adven¬
tures of Rin Tin Tin,” for another
two years by Nabisco} “Tales .of a
Texas Ranger” by General Mills,
and its tie with CBS-TV for filmed
episodes on “Playhouse 90.”

- Repercussions in the Columbia
subsid’s organization, reflecting
the troubled situation, is foreseen
on the exec level, both in New
York and in Hollywood. Adolf N.
Hult, former radio and tv network
exec who joined . SG’s exec staff
only about six months ago as.direc¬
tor of sales development, is exit¬
ing to form his own consultant
agency. Hult, in one of his first
deals, has been retained as special
consultant on national sales for
RKO Television. • Other shifts, on
the national level at screen Gems,
.also are seen.

On the Coast, new talent has
been garnered for program devel¬
opment. Michael Abel, recently
associated with Dore Schary at
Metro as script consultant and
producer, has joined the Columbia
subsid to work with William Sack-
heim, director of program devel¬
opment. Another joining the pro¬
gram development department is
Winston O’Keefe, a former “Ma¬
tinee Theatre” producer, while
Douglas Whitney has been inked
to take over the indie department
recently vacated by Milton E.

(Continued on page 50)

$2,000,000 Schlitz
Anthology Renewal

Hollywood, April 30.

“Schlitz Playhouse,” produced
by Revue Productions, has been re¬
ticketed by the brewery for 40
stanzas, with approximately $2,-
000,000 involved in the new deal.
Budgets were hiked in the renewal
pact, so that Revue can go after
top names for the anthology
series seen on CBS-TV Friday
nights..

Shooting has already begun on
the new batch, first being “50
Beautiful Girls,” now lensing, with
Barbara Bel Geddes, Edward An¬
drews and Royal Dana. Jules
Bricken is directing from a Halsted
Welles original story and tele¬
play.

Frank P. Rosenberg and Bricken
produce the series for Revue,

Roll Connie Russell

Jazz Combo Telepix

Hollywood,' April 30.

Telefilm situation comedy series
revolving around a modern jazz
combo, “Candy,” starring thrush
Connie Russell, rolls this week at
CoBer Studios, as a LaSalle-CoBer
Production. Plans are to guest disk
and music names.

Josef Shaftel is producer-direc¬
tor and Phil Shuken scripted pilot
from idea by himself and Shaftel.
David S. Garber is exec producer
and William Morris agency is pack¬
aging.

I ‘C >•<

Jl-i 1

J

Wedniisdgy, May 1, 1957

PAkiety

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32

RABIO-TELEVISION

P’XmE&i

Vednegday, May 1, 1957

FEMME f CASTERS’ ‘SI LOUIS BLUES’
CONVERTED INTO A GAY FANDANGO

♦ 4 » 44 4 ♦ ♦ 4 4 44 4 ♦ 444444 44444 4 4 4 4 444444 4 -4 ♦♦♦♦»♦»

TV-Radio Production Centres

4M 4444+444444444444444444*444444444444444♦4♦ 4 44

IN NEFF YORK CITY , . .

By FLORENCE LOWE 4
St. Louis, April 30.

An aroused membership wound
up the four-day huddle of Ameri¬
can Women in Radio & Television
on.a note of confidence and self¬
appraisal. Sixth annual confab of
the national organization of femmes
in broadcasting and allied fields
has been preluded by an air of
gloom, and teed off in an atmos¬
phere of doom. Meetings threat 4
ened to become bogged down in
AWRT’s own version of the “St.
Louis Blues,” as . speaker after
speaker dug. deeper the grave of
the traditional “woman’s show.”
Then the gals—600 strong, prac¬
tically all with well-paying jobs—
took another look at themselves
and started beating the drums to a
happy.: tune.

In the face of admittedly irrefut¬
able statistics showing a contin¬
uing cutback 'in all types of
women’s service shows, both radio
and tv, dozens of irate femme-
casters rose to „ their feet and
shouted back, “So what:—Look at
us.” Even more came forward
to cite a growing trend towards
women in behind-the-camera jobs,-
in management, sales, promotion,
scripting, and production.

Virginia Marmaduke, a subject
of a recent “Thi^ Is Your Life,"
and a newshen turned broadcaster,
put it this way ( , “Let’s talk back in
the language management under¬
stands best—qash. Whatever we
do makes money. If we can’t
prove it, let’s get busy.” '

Melva Forsyth, the “Mollie Mar¬
tin” of Hearst’s WBAL, Baltimore,
shouted a loud, “I feel fine. Af¬
ter 23 years of radio and ei'Tht
years of tv, I’m doing better than
ever,” And ddzens of femmecast-
ers from all over the country—
mostly grass rooters, but many
from metropolitan areas like De.-
troit, Chicago, Kansas City, pointed
proudly to s.r.o. signs for their
shows. Marjorie Mariner, WFMJ-.
TV, NBC affiliate in Youngstown,
Ohio; joined the rebellion against
gloom with the comment, “Spon¬
sors? We don’t know what to
do with them—we have so many.”

AWRT began to point to statis¬
tics of its own. At least two con¬
ventioneers, Marian Annenberg,
WDSU, New Orleans, and Montez
Tjaden, KWTV, Oklahoma City,
are top bananas in promotion and
publicity for their stations. Char¬
lotte Hubbard, despite'the double
handicap of being a woman and a
negro, is head of the community
service and assistant in tv promo¬
tion for WTOP-CBS, Washington’s
leading station. Ruth Petersen,

• (Continued on page 48)

Copyright Issue In
Benny ‘Gaslight’ Parody
Heads for Supreme Ct.

Washington, April 30.
The Supreme Court has agreed
to determine the question of
whether parodies and burlesques
of plays and films are subject, to
the copyright laws.

The high.-court announced yes¬
terday (Tues.) that it will hear the
appeal of CBS in the “Gaslight”
case. The appeal will probably
be argued late next fall or in the
early winter.

The action is based on an in¬
junction obtained by Loew’s Inc.,
which barred CBS from using a
filmed parody, “Autolight,” made
in 1953 and based on “Gaslight,”
the Metro motion picture. The
15-minute parody, starring Jack
Benny, and Barbara Stanwyck, was
made in 1953, a year after the two
had done a live parody of “Gas¬
light” on Benny’s video show.

The Loew injunction is against
CBS, Jack Benny and American
Tobacco Co. It was granted in the
U. S. District Court for Southern
California and sustained by the
Ninth Circuit Court.

The lower courts held that the
author of a parody or burlesque
of a copyrighted work was limited
to insubstantial use of- the work,
the same as any ordinary literary
appropriator.

Counsel for CBS and the others
charge that this concept upsets a
long history and tradition of un¬
challenged use of copyrighted
materials for parodies.

Gen. Mills Gets Nod
On B&A Sponsorship

General Mills has been tapped
to replace B. F*. Goodrich as al¬
ternate-week sponsor with Carna¬
tion on Burns & Allen next fall.
Word tapped is used advisedly be¬
cause CBS-TV picked General
Mills from among three advertis¬
ers who had put in bids to pick up
the skip-week.

Choice of General Mills was dic¬
tated by the fact that the cereal
firm has sponsored shortterm
stretches of B&A for the past three
years. During late fall of each of
these years, .Goodrich relinquished
its slot .for eight-week periods to
General Mills, then resumed it.
Deal was set via BBD&O.

Fellows to Gal
B casters: Time
To Emancipate

St. Louis, April 30.

Harold Fellows, National Asso¬
ciation of Radio-Television Broad¬
casters prexy, urged women broad¬
casters to retfel against type-cast¬
ing as “air-time housekeepers” and
to make 1957 the “year of emanci¬
pation” from the stereotyped pat¬
tern developed over the years.

As leadoff speaker in the series
.of discussion sessions which marked
the sixth annual conclave of
American Women in Radio. & Tele¬
vision, Fellows struck a construc¬
tive note, by suggesting that the
ladies utilize their training in such
fields of short-supply as music,
news, continuity writing, ad copy-
writing. and executive branches of
the business,^ to carve new niches
for themselves. He tossed at them
the charge of complacency, and
urged them to get out of the ruts
they have created for themselves-.

He also suggested that femme-
casters, “professionally engaged in
the field and thus instilled with a
know-how about ,-the business,”
might “render overall program re¬
ports” on a v voluntary basis, to their
program departments and station
management .organizations” which
“could be helpful on a continuing-
basis in bringing- about better pro¬
gram balancer to the product of the
industry.”

He cited the “possible opening
of a great flood, which may well
double the number of stations ih
two years” if the recent FCC pro¬
posal to scrap the.present system
' (Continued on page 48)

CBS-TV Ups Feeney

After only a year at CBS-TV as
trade news editor, Harry Feeney
has been upped to tlie new post
of manager of trade and business
news for the network. Appointment
takes effect today (Wed.), with
Feeney continuing to report di¬
rectly to information services di¬
rector Charles Oppenheim.

17 Femmecasters

On Tape & Lens’

St. Louis, April. 30... .

A group of 17 American femme¬
casters arrived in Moscow tonight
for four days of taping and lensihg
in an effort to probe the “soul” of
the Soviet people for home radio¬
tv consumption. Lea by Beg^ John¬
son, award-winning radio-tv per¬
sonality for WMB£-ABC; Kansas
City, and accompanied by three
men—a cameraman, an audio tech¬
nician, and a technical adviser—
the gals are tacklipg„ the Soviet
with' 1 high hopes but few commit¬
ments.

Mechanics of securing the neces¬
sary visa for the junket w$re rela¬
tively simple, a combination of Bea
Johnson’s ingenuity and a newly
developed awareness on the part of
the Russians of the advantages of
tourism as a source of income.
S ; nce troupe is travelling as ordi¬
nary tourists, rather than as .ac¬
credited news correspondents, In-'
tourist, the official Soviet travel
psency, arranged all details. Mrs.*
Johnson attempted direct contact
with the Soviet Embassy in Wash¬
ington, as well as with the EjnbasSy
of Czechoslovakia, sans success.

Even transatlantic phone calls to
Moscow failed to pin ’Commie au¬
thorities down on any interview pr
program commitments other than
permission to take pictures—mostly
still—and make tape recordings.
Since there will be^ three official
government guides with the party
at times, taping and shuttering will
be~closely supervised.

On"the bright side is the fact
that this is the initial U. S. tourist
group ever granted permission to
witness a Russian May Day cele¬
bration. In addition, , the gals are
armed with sufficient ideas so - that
if only a few materialize, they will
have hit the program jackpot. For
example, thejf are seeking permis¬
sion to stage.a show of American
femme hat fashions for wives of
(Continued on page 51)

AWRT Convention Chatter

"Record for long distance conven¬
tion travelling was set by Audrey
Davies, KTVA-TV, Anchorage,
Alaska. Mrs. Davies, a former
school teacher and extension serv¬
ice demonstration agent, has had
an s.r.o. sign out for her daily
homemaking show almost from its
inception three years ago on the*
Alaskan CBS affiliate. Station, one
of five in tv conscious'Alaska, gets
kines of web shows a week late,
has wide range of local live shows.
* * *

Most unioue gift in annual mar¬
athon of giveaways at St. Louis was
an acre of Maine potatoes,,.worth
from $4OO-$60O, and won, by lot,
by Dee Sweet, WISH-TV, Indi¬
anapolis. Stunt Was brain child of
AWRT member Ruth Newsome,
Boston, publicist who. represents
Maine Potato Council. Winner
does not have to harvest her own
crop, and will receive expert ad¬
vice on selling when market is fa¬
vorable . . * Three trips to Vene¬
zuela were gifted by Creole Petro¬
leum Corp. to prexy Edythe Fern
Melrose, - publications chairman
Fran Riley, and Edna Seaman,
WFRL-TV, Greenville, S. C., kicked

Delegates, who traditionally
make this annual confab a “bus¬

man’s . holiday ” by . taping inter¬
views foi\ home station consump¬
tion, found their most unique sub¬
ject in Rudolph Starfish, the “ome¬
lette' impresario,” whose skill with
eggs highlighted breakfast hosted
by ‘ Dudley-Anderson-Yutzy on be¬
half of agency’s food clients . Starf¬
ish prepared individual omelettes,
French style, for each of the 400
guests who showed up—makes, a ca*.
reer of demonstrating his tech¬
nique on tv, on the grocery circuit,
and at parties.

* * ★

Agnes Law, CBS librarian who
was prototype for “The DeslTSet,”
and who recently retired after 25
jtears with*the web, was made hon¬
orary life, member of AWRT in rec¬
ognition, of her impressive services
to industry and to the organization.

. Judith Waller, NBC public af¬
fairs; Anne Hayes, KCMO, Kansas
City vet femmecaster, and Sally
Work, WBEK, Buffalo, also an¬
nounced retirement' after lifetimes
of broadcasting service. ... A new
alumni membership, designed for
broadcasting vets of at least 10
years’ experience,’who retire or go
into other fields, was established.
4 * *

Barbara Ann Watpon, 19-year-
old junior at Temple U in Phila-

(Contimied on page 40)

Mortimer Becker, counsel of the N.Y. local of A53-RA, to the Coast
yesterday (Tues.) to handle legal matters for several private clients.
He’s due back early next week ... Ed Shurick, CBS station relations
veep, back this week from a Florida vacation. Web’s Hubbell Robin¬
son, exec v.p, for programming, and Mrs, Robinson (Vivienne Segal),
off for European vacation . . . Joe Disco, formerly production assistant
on the Steve Allen shpw, began a new job as a WRCA-TV stage man¬
ager this week . ; , Charles Collingwood, host of CBS-TV’s “Odyssey,
back from filming a - Mexican Passion Play and was guest speaker
yesterday (Tues.) at the 45th annual meeting of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce in Washington, oh the topic of “The Case for Business
Leadership in Education” . . . Aaron Ehrlich, production consultant
on “Person to Person,” is this month’s “discovery’’ in Photography
mag; Ehrlich is a painter and just turned to photography , .. . Robert -
Hess, manager of motion picture photography for CBS News & Public
Affairs, addressed the southern short course;for press photogs at the
U. of North Carolina last week on “New Approaches to TV News
Coverage” . . . G.' W. J ,(Johnny) Johnstone, director of' radio-tv-film
public relations for the National Ass’n of -Manufacturers, planed west
following his attendance at the American Women in Radio-TV con¬
vention in St. Louis this past weekend; slated to hit Hollywood for
two weeks, San Francisco for a week : and back east to N, Y. by May
27 via-Portland, Minneapolis and Detroit ... CBS-TV’s “Lamp Unto
My Feet” will originate from Philadelphia June 2 as part of the of¬
ficial agenda of the American Baptist Convention . . . CBS-TV cut a
kinnie of a new Dick Van Dyke show last week, with. Hank Sylvern as
musical director on. the audition ..., Jessica Tandy in a brief N. Y. stop¬
over en route from the Coast, where she filmed aij “Alfred Hitchcock
Presents” episode, to join hubby Hume Cronyn on . their private
Bahaman island, Children’s Bay Cay. They plan at least one more
tv shpt before doing a summer theatre tour in “The Man in the Dog
Suit.” • ,

Peter Emmons named manager of theatre and stage operations for
CBS-TV . . . Campbell-Ewald. agency has resigned the Allen B. DuMont
labs account-. . . Herbert-M. Rosenthal, just out of the Army, named
art .director fcfr CBS-TV* Spot Sales . . . CBS-TV prexy Merle Jones
addresses the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Industrial Advertising
Assn, tomorrow night (Thurs.), while on the same day, CBS-TV sales
development director Edward F. Lethen Jr. talks ‘ to the Indianapolis
Advertising Club Clinic . . . Meg Myles set for the Steve Allen show
June 9 .,. . Lanny Ross, who donated the loudspeaker equipment to
the N. Y. Public Library for its Bryant Park concerns, opens the 10th
annual concert series June 19 . . . Sammy Kaye will do three 'half-hour
shows a week from the Hotel Roosevelt over CBS Radio, Fridays and
Saturdays at 10:30 and Sundays at 12:05 p.m. . . . WCBS has inaug¬
urated* a speaker’s bureau, with- g.m. -Sam Slate, news & pubaffairs
director Dave Drisboll and John Henry Faulk and Galen Drake avail¬
able for dates at community functions on the topic of importance of
radio ... A. Robert Bohagura, ex-CBS Television Film Sales, switched
over to CBS Radio, as an account exec . . . Marjorie Duhan Adler,
copywriter for Young & Rubicam, has sold a full-hour show, “Church
on Monday” which will be presented over NBC-TV “Matinee Theatre”
May 2. Subject is the ad business. She’s the wife of S. L. (Stretch)
Adler, national sales ^manager of Guild Films ... . Doug Anderson has
just signed a year’s contract with Television Magic, Inc., as “The
Magic Clown” for Bonomo Turkish Taffy . . . New York office of Pub-
licidad Badillo, Inc., Puerto Rican ad agency, has been appointed by
Wrigley to handle all advertising for the Spanish market of New York
area. - R. A. Former, in charge of the N. Y. office, is account exec.
WWRL deejay “Dr. Jive” (Tommy Smalls) emcees a rock ’n roll stage
show at the Apollo Theatre for a week beginning June 28. It marks *
the ninth booking at the Harlem showspot . . . Harry Lewis, formerly
with *WRt)M. and* Ruppert Brewing Co., joined WWRL as a merchan¬
dising staffer . . . “Play Ball,” with Bert Lee Jr., kicked off at 7 p.m. on
WATV Monday- (29) . . . Jimmy Shearer brings back “Songs of Yester¬
year” Saturday nights at 7 p.m., starting, upcoming weekend (4) over
WATV ... He had been on a three-month Florida vacation . . . Ethel.
Colby of the New York Journal of'jCommerce, only femme member or
the Drama Critics Circle, will guest on Mike Wallace’s “Night Beat,”
Friday (3) . , . Eighth .birthday of Big Joe’s (Joe JRpsenfield Jtr.) “Hap¬
piness Exchange” to be celebrated today (1), with an allnight WMGM
broadcast and other festivities.-

CBS newsman Dave Schoenbrun planing back to Paris after a U.S.
visit to promote his book, “As France Goes” . . i “[Voice of Firestone”
ditpd by the National Federation of Music Clubs for its “distinguished
services to the appreciation of good music” . . .. CBS music director
James Fassett in Puerto Rico taping the Pablo Casals Festival for his
“World Music Festivals”-series . . . David Gregory, radio-tv scripter,
leaving for six months in Europe to tape interviews for NBC Radio’s
“Nightline” . . . Scripter Larry Menkin in from the Coast over the
weekend for the funeral of his - father . . . Airobatics, an information
bulletin covering ABC network. and station promotions, to be pub¬
lished monthly under supervision of -web’s advertising-promotion
director, John Eckstein . . ^ Irving Gitlin, CBS * pubaffairs director,
addressed -the Tau Beta Pi Assn, chapter at City College, his alma
mater, last night (Tues.) on “Mass Communications” , . . “Person to
Person”t> producer Jesse Zousmer and director Bob SammOn off to
Alcatraz—for tlje. show’s first remote from' the island, while editorial
associate David Moore and director’ Charles Hill to Boston for the
James Michael Curley pickup Friday (3) . . . George Vicas, producer
of CBS Radio’s “Update,” set to preside over a general session of the
annual meeting of the Institute for Education by Radio & TV of Ohio
State U. May-10 . . . CBS Radio will cover FCC Commissioner John
C. Doerfer’s address at the 13th annual communion breakfast of' the
Catholic Institute of the Press Sunday (5) at the Hotel Plaza . . /Tex
Antoine doing his first stint on WCBS-TV, the Con Edison commer¬
cials on the Ron Cochran Saturday segment of “Six O’Clock fte-
port.” Antoine, who’s exclusive to WRCA^TV except for these Con
Edison blurbs, also starts his own radio show on WRCA . . . Jimmy
Yoham set for a role May 7 on “Kaiser Hour”„. . . Overseas Press
.Club honoring Cecil Brown for the best press, radio or television
interpretation of foreign affairs within the U.S., via its OPC Award,
on Monday (6) at the Waldorf-Astoria . . . Patricia Young upped at
CBS Radio Spot $ales to presentation writer.

IN HOLLYWOOD ...

CBS-TV’s Htibbell Robinson green-lighted the pilot for Eve Arden’s
“It Gives Me Great Pleasure,” based on the Emily Kimbrough tome
... If Bill Rousseau comes into the Weaver-Wile fold it will mark the
reunion of a trio that dates back to the Fred Allen days. Weaver was
producer-director, Rousseau assistant director and Wile handling the
publicity at Young & Rubicam . . . One word from Leonard Golden-
son, AB-PT prexy, due out this yveek, and the shovels will start digging
for the new facilities at ABC-TV’s Television Center . , . Louise
Paget, former N.Y. actress, has been reading Lillian Roth’s part for
10 days as one of the leads in “Child of Trouble” on “Playhouse 90”
May 2. Miss Roth finished up at Las Vegas but hasn’t showed up at
CBS-TV’s Television City . . . Johnny Weissmuller will do a new
“Jungle Jim” series if Tootsy Rolls places the order . . . Jimmy
Saphier east to bend spons.orial ears for a new daytime series, “It
(Continued on page 40)

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

VfcRitifr

RADIO-TELEVISION

33

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN BOSTON?

Westinghouse’s ‘Now We Are Five

Westinghouse Broadcasting Co, has entered the charmed circle
of the /‘maximum VHF” boys among the group ownership clan
(Storer, Crosley, et al), as result of negotiations to acquire WAAM-
TV in Baltimore. This is the VHF outlet (an ABC affiliate) owned
principally by the Cohen Bros, (pre'xy Ben and v.p.-secy/Herman)
along with Norman C f Kal, the executive veepee. Sale price Is
understood to be $5,000,000, subject, of course, to FCC okay.

Acquisition gives the Doq McGannon-helmed WBC empire five
V properties—iri Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Boston and Cleveland
along with Baltimore.

Immediate conjecture is ^whether Westinghouse will strive for
a CBS affiliation, its relations/ with that network having been en¬
hanced ever since it stripped KDKA-TV in,^Pittsburgh of its NBC
alliance and turned it over to Columbia. However, it isn’t figured'
likely, at least for the time being, that CBS will interrupt, its al¬
legiance to the Baltimore-. SUnpapers’ WMAR-TV, which E. K.
.Jett helms.

Thus WBC now has all kinds of network affiliations. Frisco and
Pittsburgh are CBS; Boston and Cleveland are NBC (“for how
long?” many are asking); and Baltimore is ABC.

ACLU Asks Congressional Probe
Of TV-Radio Bans on Controversy

American • Civil Liberties Union
this week urgfed a Congressional
investigatipn of radio and televi-
" sion methods of handling “contro¬
versial’’ subjects, specifically ask¬
ing for such changes in federal law
as could “promote diversity of
opinion and freedom of expression
on the air.” —

In a letter to Sen. Warren Mag-
nuson (D., Wash.), chairman of
the Senate Interstate 8f Foreign
Commerce Committee (the Senate’s
FCC “watchdog” committee), ACLU
executive director, Patrick Murphy
Malin called on the committee to
“concentrate on assembling infor¬
mation that would help Congress
to understand issues and formulate
policy and to consider whether
some. change in or amendment to
the existing law is necessary.
This would be designed to aid the
FCC in exercisiifg its licensing' and
regulatory powers in such a way
as to promote diversity of opinion
and freedom of expression on the
air. An inquiry would also make
clearer to the people, the govern¬
ment and the industry the obliga¬
tion of radio-t.v stations to perform
in the public interest, by present¬
ing controversy and discussion of
important public issues to the
American radio-television audi¬
ence.”

Malin cited the cases of “several
incidents which raise the question
of how well diverse and different
subjects and controversy are being
handled in station programming.”
Pointing out that “we do not
charge that these decisions were
acts of repression of ideas,” he
nonetheless stated that ACLU has
been “troubled” by the ban of
“Martin Luther” by WGN-TV, Chi¬
cago; the CBS-TV refusal to do
“The Commentator” on “Studio
One”; CBS Radio’s refusal to allow
a discussion.of religious differences
on one of its religious programs;
and the cancellation of an invite
to a cancer expert by Tex McCrary
on WRCA-TV*to discuss smoking
and lung cancer relationships.

Edsel Drivin Hard
For 2-Web Spec

Ford’s new Edsel division,
though yet to buy a television .show
for next season, is now planning
a two-network spectacular for late
September or early November with
which to kick off its new medium-
priced car. Edsel, via Foote, Cone
& Belding, is negotiating with-both
•CBS-TV and. NBC-TV for time for
the spec, but is getting nowhere
fast.

Edsel wants to air the spec-over
both webs simultaneously, of
course, but has run into trouble in
Pairing NBC off with Columbia. In
°ne instance, NBC agreed to a date
and time slot which CBS couldn’t
c |car, and in a second case', CBS
okayed a slot that NBC couldn’t
hiatch. Edsel is- still trying to find
a compatible time period, and also,
** still shopping for that regular
show for the fall. . / • •'

Gregory’s ‘Crescendo’

Hollywood, April 30.

Paul Gregory has planed to N. Y.
to talk to CBS-TV execs anent up¬
coming 90-minute “Crescendo”
spec, to air this fall. Show is part
of Gregory’s three-year deal with
CBS-TV, calling for him to pro¬
duce nine specs.

“Crescendo” will trace develop¬
ment of American music, with top
hiusical names to be employed.

Ford Motor s
$5,000,000 Into
NBC-TV‘Crisis’

NBC-TV wrapped up a $5,000,000
deal last week with the inking of
Ford Motors to half sponsorship of
its Monday night “Crisis” series.
Ford will take on the full 10 to 11
hour on alternate weeks starting
Sept. 9. Deal was set via J. Walter
.Thompson agency, with the Ford
expenditure coming from its can¬
cellation of . “Ford Theatre” on
ABC-TV.

Besides not yet finalizing the
(Continued on page 44)

I

MEAN WEB SHIFTS

Washington, April 30.

Long drawn-out Boston hassle
over award of. Channel 5 has been
resolved, with the Federal Com¬
munications Commission voting
four to two in favor of WHDH, the
broadcasting subsid of the Boston
Herald-Traveler Corp., thus re¬
versing a previous decision of the
FCC’s chief examiner who had pre¬
viously recommended a non-news¬
paper Boston group. As result it
may throw the whole Boston spec¬
trum picture into a tizzy, notably
as it relates to network affiliation.

Immediate industry conjecture
was whether CBS-TV would throw
over' its WNAC-TV affiliation in
favor of the Channel 5 tie. Rela¬
tions between Columbia and the
Tom O’Neil-owne'd WNAC-TV
haven’t been the best, with the Bos¬
ton outlet too frequently bypassing
web pickups in favor of either
ABC shows or local film entries.
In such an eventuality it’s antici¬
pated that WNAtJ Would wrap up
pm ABC-TV exclusivity.

But even more intriguing is the
speculation as to the Westinghouse-
owned WB/5-TV’s continued affili¬
ation with NBC. If anything hap¬
pens here—and there are those
who say “just wait and see”—then
the whole Boston tv picture would-
be up for grabs.

It’s no secret that NBC-Westing-
house relations have been strained.
When, a couple weeks, back, WBC
decided to shed its NBC alliance
for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh in fa¬
vor of a CBS alliance, the situation
was aggravated and from reliable
sources .it’s reported that NBC,
given the right opportunity,
wouldn’t be averse to knocking
Westinghouse out of the NBC box
in Boston. Should this come, about,
it’s figured a cinch that -Columbia
would move into the WBZ-TV pic¬
ture, With NBC throwing in its lot
with the Boston Herald-Traveler’s
new channel 5 and. WNAC-TV go¬
ing ABC. It’s all iffy at the mo¬
ment, but there are those who say
“don’t be surprised.”

Valued at $23,000,000

The Hub channel, the third and
last V .allocated to Boston, is esti¬
mated to be worth as high as
$23,000,000.

A member of the House Inter¬
state Commerce Committee, Rep.
John Dingell (D., Mich.) recently
warned that he would demand “the
(Continued on page 40)

CBS-TV Saji. Plans Gain Momentum In
50 % Sale of Terry Mason to Purex

' NBC Options ‘Flicka’

NBC-TV has optioned 20th-Fox’s
“My Friend Flicka” series for a.
30-day period and put it on the
sponsor market as a prime candi¬
date for one of its new 7:30 to 8
p.m. spots for next fall. Web is
pitching the show either for the
Monday, Tuesday or Friday 7:30
slots. Also possibilities are the
Sunday 6?30 or 7 p.m. periods.

Web would of course use new
shows if a sale is made. “Flicka”
reruns are currently on CBS-TV
but expire after the summer. The
NBC option for the TCF-TV series
was made via General Artists
Corp., 20th’s tv sales rep.

U.S. Time Corp.
$2,160,000 Into
Six Hope Entries

In what’s reported to be the
highest-priced deal yet for an hour-
long television series, U. S. Time.
Corp. has purchased six Bob Hope
shows on NBC-TV next season at a
time & program price of $360,000
per show. That figure is exceeded,
of course, by some spec expendi¬
tures, but those were for 90-min¬
ute entries.

The U. S. Time deal calls for a
total outlay over • the six*-show
course of about $2,160,000 and
marks * the Watchmaker’s largest
single television splurge to date. I
The six Hope shows are the mim>-l
mum contracted for between the
comic and the network, though the
web has options on two additional
shows if it so desires.

Deal, ^et via Peck Advertising,
raises one interesting agency angle
on the ad copy. One of U. S.
Time’s major products is the Wait
Disney Character Watches. Will
U. S. Time be allowed to plug Dis¬
ney characters on NBC in the face
of Disney’s closely-guarded ex¬
clusivity on 'ABC?

CBS-TV got off the Saturday
night hook this week by selling
half of its new “Perry Mason”
hourlong series to the Purex Corp.
Latter, in a move from NBC, where
it’s sponsored “Big Surprise” and
now the “Arthur Murray Party,”
has picked up a full hour on alter¬
nate weeks on the “Mason” stanza,
starting in the fall.

Not yet resolved, in spite of the
PUhex deal,^.is the entire Saturday
7:30 to 9 program "picture for the
fall. Purex wants the “Mason”
show, currently scheduled at 8 to
9, to start instead at 7:30, which
would give it a half-hour jump on
Perry Como. CBS is willing
enough, but must first come to an
understanding with Sylvania. Lat¬
ter currently occupies the 7:30 pe¬
riod on an every-week basis, but
has indicated it will cut back to al¬
ternate weeks comes the fall. What
Sylvania hasn’t decided, however,
is what time period it will buy
into.

There’s the possibility, of course,
that Sylvania will pick up half the
open, 'week of “Mason,” and that
would solve the problem. There’s
also the.chance, however, that’ it
may insist on keeping its c'urrent
time but refusing to buy the “Ma¬
son” show, which would kill the
7i30-8:30 plan. And Sylvania might
move to another night.

Old Gold, too, represents a prob¬
lem. Ciggie outfit is in at 8 to
8:30 with half of the Jackie Gleason
show, but its plans for, the fall
aren’t firm. It’s looking at “Ma¬
son” currently, but is hot on an¬
other property which it’s keeping
under wraps but has already sub¬
mitted to the CBS program facto¬
tums. If the program should be se¬
lected, there’s still the question of
a time period.

So that while CBS is off the’ hook
on what it considered its toughest
fall sale (bucking Como), it has yet
to resolve the programming-spori-
|-s^rship pattern for the important
1 Saturday 90-minute span.

Podner, You 9 re Riding Me Out of Town 9

New York.

Editor, Variety:

A few years ago when I was
“Mrs. Daytime Dialer” you printed
some things about me that I
thought were pretty nasty—like I
only read garden> and womenls
magazines .and I’m unsophisticated
and I only like stories with happy
endings; Well, you know, I’ve
been thinking over the things you
said. And you know what, you’re
pretty smart. But I’ve got news
for you. You’ve lost merYou may
never hear from me again—and
that goes for your million dollar
tv sponsors, too. I’ve been read-,
ing about tv programming for the
fall in, Variety. And I’ve got a
message for you, fellows. You’ve
had it. Youll never get me alive.

I’m giving up tv. Next fall
when all those good cowboys are
shooting all those bad cowboys and
the lav* of the old west comes sput¬
tering into my living room you
know where I’m going to be? Fm
going to be in the kitchen with
sound-proofing stuffed around the
door and I’ll be playing Siobhan
McKenna on my portable hi-fi. Or
maybe I’ll be down in the base¬
ment listening to music on the ra¬
dio or making a dress. Or I might
bd down at the Community Center
communing or studying oil painting
or ju jitsu. But you can bet ydur
advertising dollar I’m not going to
be in front of the tv* You’re driving
me out of the house, Podner.
You’re riding me out of town.

Now 1 don’t say that my husband
and kids won’t be watching tv.
They can watch all that silly shoot¬

ing nonsense all they like. They
can dream they’re shooting the bad
guys while they’re getting eye-
strain. But I know those outlaw
relatives of mine. The minute the
commercials come on they’ll run
like, rats for a sandwich or potato
chips. Your" poor sponsors are go¬
ing to talk their brains out to the
dog. And even if they stay' it
won’t matter, - I’m the one who
does all the shopping. I’m the one
who pushes the cart around the
Supermarket every week and de¬
cides what to buy. My family
doesn’t care what I .buy as-long as
dinner, is on time. ' And my hus¬
band would let me buy anything
to keep me from nagging him. You
know what I mean?

Don’t Call Me Horace Schwerin

Now just a minute. Don’t say,
“Oh, her, that’s just her opinion.”
I may not be Hbrace Schwerin or
whoever that darling little man
was who asked me all those silly
questions but I’ll tell you this. I
talk to women, all the time—when
we play cards together, j/hen we
shop, when we’re not worried about
what some, crew-cut market analyst
is going to think of our answers
and our attitudes.

We girls let our hair down when
we get together—arid do you know
what we agree unanimously? We
hate cowboys* As far as we’re
concerned we couldn’t care less if
Wyatt Earp bit the dust forever
and stayed* there. Of course, he’s
a very nice man and all that but
he'd be much nicer if’ he’d settle
down with a serious girl and had a
family—and face the important

things in life—problems like that
nice Irish boy—what’s his name—
Paddy something—writes about.

Now don’t just think that we’re
silly,'but you. see, we women just
don’t like shooting. The children
make enough noise around the
house. Who needs to turn on the
tv to get noise?. We have more
than we can use.

And there’s more. We like nice
stories. About real people. People
like us. I don't know one murderer
or outlaw and I don't really think
I’ll meet any. I know people who
have problems ‘ about money. I
know women whose husbands play
around and that’s a problem—but
no outlaws. So how can I care
about them?»

Of course, we girls like glamor,
too. We don't go to -the movies
often except for “Funny Face” and.
“Eighty Days” and things like that.
But we watched the Academy
Awards on tv because we knew the
women would wear beautiful
clothes and the whole thing would
be glamorous.' It was. We loved it.
We watch Dinah Shore, too, and
Perry Como because they're such
nice people. And when Charlie
Van DOren (that darling boy!) was
on “Twenty-One” we never did
dinner dishes until after* Who
could, could you7

You see, I'm just like all the
women I know. You can reach me
but not with a six-gun and not on
a horse. And if you want to sell
me products you've got to catch
me first.

Very truly yours, Mrs. Daytime.
Dialer, Patricia Ruden.

P&G’s Cutback
On CBS-TV Soaps

CBS-TV is faced with the pros¬
pect of a, major daytime cutback
by Procter & Gamble in its soap
opera commitments. Expectation
is that P&G will cut its sponsor¬
ship of its two half-hour soap
strips. “Edge of Night’ ’and “As the
World Turns,” by half.

Ironic part of the situation is
that the cutbacks come in the face
of a mounting enthusiasm by P&G
execs for the .half-hour soaper for¬
mat. Reason for the slash isn’t any
dissatisfaction with programs, time
slots or ratings, but the simple fact
that P&G products are stepping
all over themselves in competitive
snarls. P&G now has eight deter¬
gents alone, and it can’t very well
advertise what amounts to com¬
petitive brands on the same shows.
Intention is to spread'the fillings
a good deal thinner throughout
the broadcast day.

P&G is unhappy about the need
for cutbacks on these particular
shows, since v they have improved
the soap company’s rating picture
on the network by about 80% over
its programming in the’ same time
periods last year. Where the old
“Love Story” series was rating
about 6 a year ago on the Nielsen.
lists, “World” is up over 10; where
“On Your Account” a year ago
averaged slightly over a 5 Nielsen,
“Edge of Night” is pulling down a
9 with regularity.

DENNIS JAMES' NEW PACt

- Chicago, April 30.

Dennis James last week signed
a new . 13-week pact to stay on as
host olb NBC-TV’s noontime color¬
cast, “Club 60.” New contract runs
through Aug. 24.

James is moving his family here
for the summer to eliminate the
need for. commuting hack east on
weekends

is&RiEfr

Wednesday, Mqy 1, 1957

s ><;■< ■ .■ v'.- ■' • ■■,

■; -x <■

"s'? -'V- '•■ ,■• ' ^ ^ v\

■v: : ‘v : vXv>*v.v.<-.->:-.Iv.v.-.v.v.-. .v:v>;

:rr^i«Si:L

BIG DEAL,
HUH?

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PfifilETr

Follow-the-leader is a great game —for children. Grown-ups who

play it are mere lacklusters and lardbottoms. Especially , in business. Sure, you can

be a perfectly respectable mackerel by swimming along after your fellow-mackerel. But

it’s a whole lot more exhilarating to go after your tidy buck by bucking the; tide.

- ■ •

That goes for our business as well as yours. Traditionally in the TV
film syndication field, you’re supposed to make your big deals first. Get off your nut! Go
after a network sale! No soap? (Or cereals, or cigarettes?) Then pitch for the giant
;; regional deals. Only after that can you afford to sell smaller regional, or local, sponsors.
That^s the theory. And that’s where we part company with all the other mackerel.

•In our book, -the local/regional and spot advertiser is a first-class
citizen who needs, wants and rates first crack at first-class syndicated TV film products.
With this mad, impetuous notion, we sent opr new Submarine-adven¬
ture series, “The Silent Service,” down the ways. We aimed it straight at non-network-
advertisers. And in only 24 days, we more than matched the heady'’dollar effect of &
major network deal. Our biggest regional deal involved just four markets. We are off oufl
nut — and the biggest part of our potential still stretches ahead like an open sunlit sea,

' The syndication market a secondary one? Not so’s CNP would notice.

Prime syndicated film properties for local, regional and spot advertisers exclusively-*

■ . .r

that’s ow idea of a big deal. It works fine! NBC TELEVISION FILMS

a division jof CALIFORNIA NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS

86

tv-hums

Wednesday, May 1, X 957

f^RIETY - ARB City-By-City Syndicated Film Chart

VARIETY’S weekly chart of city-by-city ratings of syndicated and na¬
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bur¬
eau on a monthly basis. Cities will be rotated each week , ivilh the 10 top-
rated film shows listed in each case , and their competition shown opposite.
All ratings are furnished by ABB, based on the latest reports.

This VARIETY chart repr: xents- a gathering of all pertinent informa¬
tion about film in each marke\ which can be used by distributors , agencies ,
stations and clients as an aid in determining the effectiveness *of a filmed
shoiv in the specific market. Attention should be paid to time—day and

time factors, since sets-in-use and - audience composition vary according j 0
time slot, i.e., a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low rating, n , a
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor.
•+. responding results for the sponsor aiming at the children’s market. Abbr*
viations and symbols are as follows: (Adv), adventure; (Ch),children’ 11
(Co), comedy; (Dr), drama; (Doc), documentary; (Mus), musical }
(Mysl), mystery; (Q), quiz; (Sp), sports; (W), western; (Worn)
women’s. Numbered symbols next io station call letters represent the sIq.
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are VHF. Those ad agencies listed ai
distributors rep the national sponsor from whom, the film is aired.

TOP 10 PROGRAMS

AND TYPE

station

DISTRIB.

DAY . AND

TIME

*

MARCH

RATING

SHARE

(%)

SETS IN
USE

1 TOP COMPETING PROGRAM

1 PROGRAM STA.

RATING

PHILADELPHIA

Approx. Set Count —2,000,000

Stations —

-WRCV (3), WEIL (6), WCAU (10), WPFH (12)

WCAU_

... . Ziv .

. Sat. 7:00-7:30 .

.28.5.

_ 69.6_

__40.9

Studio 57 .

, .WFIL .

I c\u_

_MCA.

. .Sun. 6:30-7:00 .. ;.

.21.7.:...

. . . . 47.4. . . .

Do You Trust Your Wife..

,. WFIL ...

3. Superman (Adv) .

C,4U....

,... Flamingo.;.

. .Mon. 7:00-7:30

.20.6.

.... 48.6 ...

.42.4

Death Valley Days.

,. WRCV .

4. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv). . .,

1 c\u... .

.... MCA .

..Sat. 6:00-6:30 _

. 20.0 .

_ 77.9 . ...

. 25.7:

..WFIL

Sports Time ..

,. WFIL ...

3.6

K. Man Called X (Myst) .

WCAU ....

.... Ziv ..

. . Thurs. 7:00-7:30 . .

.17.7.

.... 44.8. .. ,

.39.5

, . WFIL . ..

Rosemary Clooney .

.. W*RCV

. 11.1

A r CAU . .. .

.... CBS .„.. .

Sat. 5:30-6:00 .

. 17.3 .

.... 68.4 ....

...... 25.3

, .WFIL ...

■J. Byline (Adv) .

1 CAU.'.

«... M&A Alexander .

. . Sat. 6:30-7:00 .

. 15.6 .

_ 72.1 _

. 21.6

Famous Playhouse ..

..WFIL ...

A '11CV*. ..

.Ziv.

.. Fri. 7:00-7:30 -.

.14.7.

_39.8....

.36.9

Wild Bill Hickok,...

,. WCAU' ..

A C4U. .. .

.... CBS _...._

.. Wed. 7:00-7:30 _

.14.5.....

_38.4....

.37.7

..WRCV rT

. A. CAU..

.... CBS.

.. Tues. 7:00-7:30 ...

.14.0.

.... 40.3_

..... 34.8

Newsreel ....

,.WFIL ...

Celebrity Playhouse....

.. WRCV ..

.8.7

News—John Daly.

.. WFIL ..,

DETROIT

Approx. Set Cbunt —

-1,610,000

Stations-

—WJRK (2), WWJ (4), WXYZ (7), CKLW (9)

1. Frontier Doctor (W) .

WXYZ .

. H-TV .

. Sun. 6:00-6:30 ....

.. . .26.8 .

... 66.0...

. 40.6

Meet The Press. . : . '.

.WWJ ...

. 6,8

2. Highway Patrol (Adv) .

. A 'J BK .

Tues. 10:30-11:00 ..

... .23.8 .

... 57.2...

Star Bowling .

.WXYZ .,

. 8.8

3. Sheriff of Cochise (W) ......

.a:\vj .

• H...NTA .

.. Sat 7:00-7:30 .

_ 22.7 .

... 56.4. ..

._ 40.3

San Francisco Beat .

, WJBK ..

.9A

4. Atnos Andy (Com) .

. A 'V T J .

.CBS _.........

, . Wed. 7:00-7:30 _

_ 20.4 .

... 55.8. ..

.36.6-

. WJBK ..

fi?

5. Popeye The Sailor (Ch) .

.CKLW .

.AAP.

..Sun. 5:30-6:00 _

.... 19.5..;..

... 53.4.._.

.36.5

Superman....

.WXYZ ..

..... 8.9

6. D?dge 714 (Myst) ... .

. WJBK..

.NBC.

. . Mon.-Fri. 6:00^6:30

Sat. 5:00-5:30

Sun. 7:00-7:30 . .

... . .18.5.

. 37.3...

_7 49.6

.WXYZ ..

.193

7. Brave Eagle (W) .

. WXYZ.'. . . .

.CBS .

.. Mon. 6: 30-7:00 ....

.....18.4.

... 50.0...

Hold That Note. . .

.WWJ ...

.8.6

7. Death Valley Days (W).

.WWJ .

.McC-E.

... Moil. 7:00-7:30

.....18.4....

... 42.2...

Susie ...

.WJBK ..

.14.7

8. Dr. Christian (Dr) .

A MBK.

,. ThUrs. 7:00-7:30 ..

.16.6.

... 41.?...

Michigan Outdoors.

.WWJ ...

9. Man Called X (Myst) .

. A7JBK ....

. Tues. 7:00-7:30 ..

.16.4 ....

... 37.8...

.43.4

Abbott & Costello.........

. CKLW ..

.12.5.

SAN FRANCISCO

Approx. Set Count —

-1,350,000

Stations —KRON (4), KPIX (5), KGO (7)

1. Searth For Adventure (Adv)

KPIX ....

...Thurs. 7.30-8:00 . . .

. . ..32.4.

... 56.6. ~

.57.4

Lone Ranger.

.KGO ...

... .16*3

2. Highway Patrol (Adv) .

. KRON.. ..

.Ziv..

..Tues. 6:30-7:00 ...

_25.3.

... 60.9...

.41.5

. KPIX ..

.... 9.2

3. Sheriff of Cochise (W) .

KRON....

. . Sat 6:30-7:00 .

.,..24.7.....

... 73.1..,

Buccaneers..

.KPIX ..

.... 8.9

4. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv)

IIRON . . .

.Ziv.

.. Sat 9:00-9 :30 .

_24.4.

.. i 60.6...

.40.3

.KPIX ...

....14.0

5. Life of Riley (Co)..

KRON....

. . Tues. 7:00-7:30 ...

.. ..18.2.

... 37.8...

..... 48.1

O. Henry Playhouse ,

.KPIX ...

....19.7

6. Mr. District Attorney (Myst).

, KRON_

.. Mon. 6:30-7:00 _

_16.9.

... 43.2...

..... 39.2

.KPIX ...

....15.8

’ll Whirlyhirds (Adv).

KRON. ..

.CBS. i.

. . Fri. 6:30-7:00 .

_ 16.5 .

... 46.0 ...

. 35.8

.KPIX ...

....12.4

8 Badge 714 (Myst) . ..

KP1X .

. NBC.

.. Wed. 9:00-9:30 _

_16.3.

... 28.6. ..

.-57.0

. KGO . . .

....25.9

9. Rosemary Clooney (Mus)

IIPIX.

. .v. MCA .

. Sun. 9:30-10:00 ..

.... 15.1 .

... 31.2.

. 48.4

.KRON ..

.-...28.9

10. Men of Annapolis (Adv) .

KWTX ....

_ Ziv .

, . Sat 10:30-11:00 ...

. .. .14.4. ..

... 39.1..,.

Your Hit Parade" . . . . .

.KRON ..

....18,2

BALTIMORE_ Approx. Set Count— 664,500_ Stations —WMAR (2), WBAL (11), WAAM (13)

1. Men of Annapolis (Adv).

AVMAR

Sat. 10:30-11:00 .

. . .25.1. .

...... 50.8...

.49.4

Man Called X.

.WBAL ..

....11.9

Your Hit Parade.

.WAAM .

....11-9

2. Wild Bill Hickok (W),;.

WBAL.

Fri. 7:00-7:30 ..

. . .23.6..

. 68.0...

7 O’clock Final; Weather..

.WMAR ,

.... 7.1

Report From Annapolis..

, WMAR

.... 7.9

WBAL.

.CBS.

Sat 5:30-6:00 .

. . .23.3 . .

.94.4.,.

.24.7

. WMAR .

.... 0.8

4. Death Valley Days (JV) ......

WBAL.

Morn 7:00-7:30 .

.. . 22.0. .

7 O’Clock Final; Weather..

.WMAR .

....10.7

CBS News—D. Edwards..

.WMAR .

5. Superman (Adv) ., .

WBAL.

.Wed. 7:00-7:30 .

.. .21.2. .

. 62.5...

7 O’Clock Final; Weather. .

.WMAR .

.... 7.6

CBS News — D. Edwards. .

.WMAR .

.... 9-9

6. Cisco Ivid (W) ..

WBAL.

Tues. 7:00-7:30 _

. . .20.8, .

. 6479...

7 O’Clock Final; Weather..

.WMAR .

.... 6.8

*

«

-

Peoples Union..

.WMAR .

. . . . 0.8

7. Soldiers of Fortune (Adv)

WBAL ;

. MCA ...;. .

.Thurs* 7:00-7:30 ...

. . .20.6. .

. 59.5...

7 O’Clock Final; Weather..

.WMAR -.

.... 9.6

CBS News — D. Edwards ..

.WMAR .

.. .;ii.9

8. Studio 57 (Dr) .

. WA-AJtf .
WBAL ..

. MCA .

.Tues. 10:30-11:00 .,

. . . 18.8 ..

. 44 6 ..

. _42 2

Wrestling . *

. WMAR .

_11.5

9. Science Fiction Theatre (Adv)

.Zrf.*. .. . ..

Sun. 10:30-11: 00 ...

.. .17.2. .

.34.7....

.49.6

Whqt’s M.y T.ine

.WMAR .

... .31.0

10. I Led 3 Lives (Adv) .

.WBAL.-

Sat 7:00-7:30 .

; . .17.1'. .

...... 45.3 ...

Do You Trust Your Wife. ..

.WMAR .

....19.5

CINCINNATI

Approx. Set Count-

—662,000

Stations^—WLW -T (5), WCPO (9),

WKRC (12)

1. Cisco Kid (W).

_WCPO.

... Sun. 6:00-6:30 .

. . 26.2.

_63.1... ..

_41.5

. . WKRG . . .

. . . 7.6

2. Frontier Doctor (W).

.. . WCPO.

.. . .Fri.- 9:30-10:00 .

..22.2.,...

.... 37.3.

.... 59.5

Big Story. /.*.

..WLW-T ..

...16.1

Playhouse of Stars....

..WKRC ...

....16-1

3. Sheriff of Cochise (W) ...

.... WLW-T.

.NT A.

... Mon. 10:30-11:00 .,..

. .19.5.

.,.. 44.4.

.... 43.9

t .WKRfl ,..

..13.2

4. Annie Oakley (W) .

.WLW-T....,

.., Tues. 6:00-6:30 .....

. ,19.3.

_ 62.4 .

.... 30 9

, W'OPO f .,

.... 8.2

4. Wild Bill Hickok (W) .

_ WLW-T

... Wed. 6:00-6:30 . ..^..

. .19.3 .

... . 61.3 .

..... 31.5

Star Showcase T t

. .WCPO ...

.. 6.3

5. Superman (Adv) .

_ WLW-T .

. Flamingo .

_Mon. 6:00-6:30 .

. .18.2 .

_55.7. ; ....

..., 32.7

C!nwhOy fJ-Mpn .,

.. WCRO ...

* .. 8.4

6. Frontier (W) ....

_ WKRC .

.... NBC .

... Wed. 7:00-7:30 .

. . 18.0 ... „

..,. 36.6. .. *.

.... 49.1

Pantomime Hit Parade. ..

.. WKRC ...

1...17.1

7. Secret Journal (Dr) .

.. . .WKRC .

.... MCA .

.. . .Tues. 10:30-11:00 ...

. .17.7 .

.... 45.6.....

.... 38.8

Science Fiction Theatre. .

..WLW-T ..

.,..13.7

$. Man Called X (Myst) .

... .V, XRC .

.... Ziv ...

...,Wed. 9:00-9:30 .

. .17.0 .

,... 25.0 .

.... 68.0

Ozzie & Harriet .

.'.wepo .>.

,\*..33.3

9. Highway 'Patrol (Adv)

...;wcpo .

....Thurs. 10:00-10:30

. .16.7 .

.... 27.5 .

.... 60.7 1

Playhouse 90 .

..WKRC ...

.. . .27.3

PBSktiBFr

RADIO-TELEVISION

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

S7

‘Lucy's’ Pumpage Ratuig Still Tops

i - ' Hollywood, April 30.

They’re feeling pretty flush at Desilu these days. The City of
Toledo has discovered again, that “I Love Lucy” is the most popular
tv program around—based on* the sharp upsurge in water consump¬
tion during the commercials.

It all started five years ago when George Van Dorp, chief en¬
gineer of the Tdedo Water Department won himself national
attention with his claim that the water pumpage curves in Toledo
were the best indicators of a show’s popularity. Boost in water
usage during the middle commercial, he said, was the key to the
survey. And “Lucy,” he said, had the highest rate of pumpage.

Van Dorp was a seven-day whiz with the chart, but he has been-
basking in oblivion since. So early this month, he decided to try
the stunt again. And lo, “Lucy’s” name led all the rest.

For the week of April 8, Van Dorp reported, “Lucy” had a pump-
age rating of 137.8, comfortably ahead of other entries. Follow¬
ing week, the pumpage rating was up to 146.7. That’s a lot of
water over the* tv set.

On the basis of Van Dorp’s survey, shows with a low pumpage
rate are in trouble and need a new producer—or maybe a plunger?

ATAS Spreads Its Wing

Relaxes Membership Rules in ‘Come On In’ Bid
To Trade Scribes, Publicists

4 -X-1-

In a bid to widen its industry
representation, the New York
Chapter of the Academy of Televi¬
sion Arts & Science last week re¬
laxed its membership requirements
to allow all newspapermen cover¬
ing the industry*,, all network and
freelance publicists active in tele¬
vision and all advertising and sales
promotion people in the industry
eligible for full membership. Some
of these in the past have been
eligible for associate membership,
others completely ineligible.

At'the same time, steps toward
the creation of the ATAS as a na¬
tional body through the establish¬
ment of local chapters were set in
motion. Plans are "going forward
for a midwest, southwest, middle
Atlantic, southeast and New Eng¬
land chapter, with the organizing
factotums set in each case.

In Chicago, columnist Irv Kup-
cinet, NBC weatherman- Clint
Youle and AFTRA’s Ray Jones are
setting up the midwest group. In
the southwest, Jim Gaines of
WOAI-TV, San Antonio, is organ¬
izing that chapter. The southeast¬
ern chapter is being spearheaded
by Niles Trammell, former NBC
prez and head of WCKY, Miami.
The middle* Atlantic group is be¬
ing formed bj*WCAU~TV's (Phila¬
delphia) Charles Vanda, Hearst
Radio chief Tony Provost out of
Baltimore and WTOP-TV, Wash-
(Continued on page 44)

NBC’* Unique Award

Probably one of the most
unique awards on. record was
bestowed on NBC last week at
the annual meeting in Phila¬
delphia of the American Pub¬
lic Relations Assn., which con-
f erred its Certificate of
Achievement on the network
«*for the manner in which NBC
carried off its 30th anni con¬
vention in Miami Beach last
December.

Award specifically kudoes
prexy Robert Samoff’s public
relations objectives (1) to ex-
. plain the historical necessity,
the day-to-day functioning and
the future potential of the na¬
tion’s networks ... (2) to il¬
lustrate this explanation with
a closeup view of NBC from
its founding by the parent
RCA company in 1926 as the
nation’s first network “to its
present leadership in the de¬
velopment of -color tv.”

Things Looking Up
In TV Spot Field;
Banner April-May

Hoover to Talk At
WCAD’s 35thAnni

Philadelphia, April 30.

Former President Herbert Hoov¬
er will take part in a special com¬
memorative . program marking the
35th anniversary of WCAU Radio,
on Friday, May 10.

The ex-Chief Executive, who as
Secretary of Commerce issued the
station license in 1922 and
President of the United States
dedicated WCAU's former building
m 1932, will voice his congratula¬
tions on the program to be broad¬
cast by WCAU beginning at 8 p.m.

The special show will trace the
history of WCAU and will feature
such personalities as George M.
Cohan, Kate Smith, Ezra Stoile,
Paul Douglas, Pennsylvania’s ex-
governor Gifford Pinchot and oth¬
ers who have appeared On this
station.

A special-feature of the program
will be salutes from the governors
°t the four states In WCAU’s cov-
pBe area. They are Gov. George
Leader, o Pennsylvania; Gov.
Robert Meyner, New Jersey; Gov.
Jp, Caleb Boggs, Delaware, and Gov.

Maryland Rooseyelt McKeldln *

\VCAU’s celebration of its 35th
nuni. will be a week-long observ-
ance beginning on Sunday (5),
the Philadelphia Orchestra
salutes the station in its CBS Radio
® tw °rk broadcast from the. Acad-
em y of Mu^ift^

Period of uncertainty in the tele¬
vision spot field appears to be
about over, with more than the
customary amount of April-May
business busting through on a local
level.' If the experience of WCBS-
TV, the CBS flagship in N. Y., dur¬
ing the past two weeks is any
barometer, things look mighty
bullish for television spot.

Station has had its normal
amount of summer cancellations,
but the new business it has picked
up in the past two weeks far sun-
passes the anklings and in fact is
the best April-May business within
remembrance of station’s execs.
Some of'the coin is from advertis¬
ers who’ve been out of television
for a year* or more and are now
returning. Other business is from
sponsors who’ve, refrained from
allocating coin for the past three
to six months until the economic
picture clarified.

Result is a rush of business,
among it two 52-week orders. Gallo
Wine has bought the Saturday 7
to 7:30 p.m. slot for “If You Had a
Million,” MCA-TV’s reruns of
“The Millionaire.” And Consoli¬
dated Edison has purchased a five-
minute segment of “Seven O’Clock
Report” as a 52-weeker.

Participation and announcement
business includes Maxwell House
Coffee, for the Instant and Regular
brands, Helene Curtis, Fanny Far¬
mer, Italian Swiss Colony Wine,
Wilbert's Wax, Lever Bros, for its
new Dove find Wisk, Texaco, Proc¬
ter Electric, Calso Gasoline, Proc¬
ter & Gamble and Liggett & Myers.

MASS EASINESS

By BOB CHANDLER

The television .networks are
breathing a deep sigh of relief over
the sudden emergence of literally
scads of sponsor prospects for next
fall. After a season of comparative
attrition, during which some time
spots, particularly after the first of
the year, went begging, advertisers
are scrambling to get back into the
network picture.

At the. same time, however, if
some network execs are turning
gray, it’s because this has been the
most frustrating of all sales seasons
for the webs, with the very plenti-
tude of sponsors adding an ironic
note. Never before in the recollec¬
tion of veteran sales execs have
sponsors been so cautious, choosy,
finicky, uncertain or what-have-you
about their program choices for
next fall. If they've locked up the
time periods in'their eagerness to
continue with or to return to the
medium, they have by ho means
settled completely* on their shows.
And as for those time periods that
are still open, the condition exists
because the’ seemingly vast pool of
sponsors collectively seem unable
to make up their minds on a show.

The period of indecision about
television as an ad medium seems
over for some of the big advertis¬
ers. The automakers are back in
force—Ford has expanded its hold¬
ings, Buick is back in the picture
with two shows, Chevrolet signed
the biggest single tv deal yet with
its 52-week Sunday night NBC
hour, the Chrysler divisions are all
continuing with what they had,
Edsel is about to make the plunge.

But the automakers are also
symptomatic of some of the inde¬
cisions permeating the sponsor
fold;

Buick, after a couple of months,
is still unable ta decide on a show
for its Friday night ABC-TV berth,
though the time has been locked up
all along.

Edsel, which expects to spend
extensively, has yet to pick up a
show for the fall, or a time period,
for that matter.

The automakers aren’t alone.

Lever Bros., after first doing flips
over “Slezak & Son” on CBS-TV, is
now balking at the show, throwing
CBS into a mild tizzy on its Tuesday
night situation.

There’s some sponsor interest in
the new “Grey Ghosts” Civil War
series, but a couple of sponsors ap¬
proached on the show have shied
away because it’s “too controver¬
sial.”

General Foods is doing a master
juggling act on' four CBS-TV time
I (Continued on page 44)

Nixon, Other Notables
At NBC’s D. C. Hoopla
For $4,000,BOO Bldg.

Washington, April 30.

Vice President Richard M.
Nixon will lay the • cornerstone
Thursday (2) for the new, $4,000,-
000 Washington building of NBC.
The structure, on a seven-acre
tract iii northwest Washington, is
expected to be operating in the
fall.- It will house stations WRC
and WRC-TV.

Among others who will attend
the ceremony to be highlighted
on NBC’s “Today” at 8:40 A.M.
(EDT), will be Robert W. Sarnoff,
President of NBC; George C.
McConnaughey, chairman of the
Federal Communications Commis¬
sion; Carlton Smith, NBC vice
president and general manager of
Washington Stations; Senate Mi¬
nority Leader William F. Know-
land; House Minority Leader
Joseph W. Martin, and other mem¬
bers of Congress. Also on hand
will be James Hagerty, President
Eisenhower’s press secretary; Dis¬
trict of Columbia officials and
other members of the FCC and
NBC and RCA brass.

The new center will include the 1
first plant built from the ground
up for color tv broadcasting.

Alf Landon, Others in FCC Attack

As Daythners Demand Better Shake

FCC Back* ‘Clear*’

Washington, April 30.

The FCC today (Tues.) sided
with the clear-channel inter¬
ests in the second day of hear¬
ings before the Senate Small
Business Committee on day¬
time broadcasters’ demands
for permission to operate after
sunset. Comr. T. A. M. Craven
stated the FCC position:

“Any proposal which would
permit daytime stations to
broadcast after sunset, while
it may enable them to give
longer service to reduced serv¬
ice areas, would at the same
time cause very widespread
interference to the service
areas of stations both on the
clear and regional, channels
which are intended to provide
nighttime service.”

Dangle $2,000,000
For TV Rights To
Calif. Olympics

San Francisco, April 30.
The California Olympic Commis¬
sion is studying worth of tv rights
to the 12-day 1960 Winter Games at
Squaw Valley, Calif., and is mak¬
ing tv exposure a prime considera¬
tion in Games planning.

Games, scheduled for late March,
1960, would fall into three main
segments, with viewers on Eastern
Standard time getting bobsledding
around 11 a. m„ main ski events
and possibly figure skating in
early afternoon and hockey in late
afterndon.

Commission has already had ad¬
vice from an ABC exec that four
cameras along bobsled course
would provide better view than
spectators in- valley could possibly
get, and same is true for ski events.
Hockey and figure skating would
present np technical difficulties at
.all.

Commission’s preliminary think¬
ing, still subject to revision, is
that one or three major nets should
buy exclusive tv rights, make deals
with sponsors rather than having
sponsors deal directly with com-
ihission.

Price is still matter for discus¬
sion, but it’s known commission
probably would settle for $2,000,-
000 — commissioners themselves,
feel price may range anywhere
from $500,000 to $4,000,000.

Possible effect on toll-tv is still
being discussed, too.

Maximum potential of spectators
in,valley is about 40,000, “with week¬
day crowds expected to tail off to
the 20,000-22,000 mark. TV audi¬
ence, however, could he enormous,
especially for the two weekends the
Games will encompass.

Therefore, say commissioners,
main emphasis will be laid on pro¬
viding for acttial participants and
for tv viewers, with valley specta¬
tors a secondary consideration.

The commission is charged with
financial and organizational details
of Games, while a second Olympic
Organizing Committee is charged
with tending to details of the ac¬
tual competitions.

Zerone’s ABC Radio Buy

Zerone division of E. I. duPont
has moved back into network radio
with an ABC deal for 35 five-min¬
ute segments a week during the
fall featuring Andre Baruch & Bea
Wain. Deal will run the course of
the antifreeze season, from late
September through late Novem¬
ber, with Baruch and Miss Wain
4oing weather and music on their
capsules.

Schedule set via BB-D&O.

Washington, April 30.

The Federal Communication#
Commission came in for severe
criticism yesterday (Mjjn.) for its
treatment of small broadcasters as
the Senate Small Business Com¬
mittee opened hearings oh the
problems of daytime radio stations.
A parade of witnesses representing
small outlets attacked the agency
for failing to act on long-standing
petitions to permit them to operate
regular hours rather than sunrise-
to-sunset.

Former Kansas Governor Alf M.
Landon, who owns a daytiiher in
Liberal, Kan., joined in the attack.
In a statement filed with the com¬
mittee, Landon charged the Com¬
mission with operating under “an¬
tiquated and archaic” rules and
.serving “large vested interests” in
the industry “and not the public
interest.”

John Charles Thomas, former
Met opera singer, who is managing
director of station KAVR in Apple
Valley, Calif., wired the commit¬
tee that pleas of daytimers for
relief “seem to fall on deaf ears”
at the FCC.

Richard E. Adams, manager of a
small station in Framingham,
Mass., testified his application for.
longer hours has been kept “in the.
FCC freeze locker” for nine years.

Ran Livesay, head of the Day¬
time Broadcasters Assn., testified
that the FCC has been guilty of
“stumbling, fumbling and leth¬
argy” for many years in its treat¬
ment of small broadcasters.

Charles B. Stafford, a North
Carolina tobacco grower, told the
committee that while clear channel
stations have performed an im¬
portant service to rural areas in
the past farmers today depend on
their local stations for the infor¬
mation they need in their farming
operations.

Hollis M. Seavey; director of
Clear Channel Broadcasting Serv¬
ice, opposed the daytimers’ de¬
mands. Longer hours, he said,
would cause “intolerable” inter¬
ference to listeners of daytime sta¬
tions as well as •‘"to clears.

OSDs Institute
Bows on May 8

- Columbus, April 30.

Theme of Ohio State University’s
27th annual Institute-for Education
by Radio-Television will be “Great
Issues in Broadcasting—1957.” The
four-day conference opens May 8
in the Deshler Hilton Hotel.

Directed by Dr. I. Keith Tyler
the Institute is the oldest such con¬
ference in the nation and attracts
some 600 to 800 broadcasters,
educators, •civic leaders and key
persons from national organizations
from the U.S. and Canada.

Kickoff is scheduled Wednesday
evening, May 8, when Donald H.
McGannon, president of the West-
inghouse Broadcasting Co. will
speak ‘ on “The Responsibility of
Broadcasters.”

Other topics to be discussed dur¬
ing the meet include “What Hap¬
pened to Broadcasting, 1946-56,”
“The Broadcaster and the Audi¬
ence,” “Radio in a Television Age,”
and “International Broadcasting in
a Cold War.”

The winners of Ohio State
Awards for outstanding educational
radio and television programs for
1956 will be announce/! Monday,
May 6.

Frankel Exits WATV

With the ankling of Lou Frankel
as director of promotion for
WATV and WAAT, N: J., George
H. Green, program manager for
both stations, will assume the
duties of publicity, promotion and
advertising. .

Robert Macdougall, educational
director of both WATV and WAAT,
will assume the duties of public
relations. • '

PTisuEfr

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

NUMBER 1!

pP^

•H-V*

J

**^1

*»•%«

NO. 1 NATIONALLY (PULSE-FEBRUARY) PLUS
TOP OF THE TOP TEN FIRST RATINGS IN EVERY MARKET!

Look at these first ratings and audience shares! >m:i. -in,.. Mar.)

1 in CHICAGO

22.4

38% share

= 1 in ST. LOUIS

37.1

75% share

2 in MINNEAPOLIS

17.5

35% share

=1 in PEORIA

38.0

70% share

2 in JACKSONVILLE

41.3

74% share

= 2 in SAN ANTONIO

31.0

58% share

1 in CHICO

57.3

88% share

-4 in BAKERSFIELD

35.2

67% share

~5 in ATLANTA

20.5

54% share

-7 in OMAHA

23.1

42% share

5 in LOS ANGELES

16.9

19% share

-3 in SCRANTON

19.3

49% share

2 in HARRISBURG

23.3

54% share

=4 in TULSA

20.7

48% share

3 in STOCKTON

22.3

49% share

=8 in BOSTON

21.5

60% share

6 in CORPUS CHRISTI

31.9

45% snare

-2 in MEMPHIS

26.3

44% share

--

2 in ALBUQUERQUE

28.9 61% share

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

V

ALREADY SOLD IN 181 MARKETS

to these important regional buyers.: Reynolds Tobacco Company,
Liptoh Tea, Falstaff Brewing (72 markets), Kroger Supermarkets,
Coca-Cola, 'General Electric, Schlitz Beer, Hamm Brewing,

Carling Brewing, Schmidt & Sons Brewers, National Biscuit
Company, Prince Macaroni, RKO (Teleradio, Sego Milk Products,
Gold Bond Beer ,. ;plus troops of local stations and advertisers!

Check MCA today ~ he 4 'Top Ten ” in your market tomorrow! I

Write, wlrej phone yoyr MCA TV Film Representative
$99 Madison AY*nue, New York 22 , N. Y.
(Plaza 9-7J00) and. principal cities everywhere

40

f^Risfr

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

RAttlO-TELEVISIOlV

From the Production Centres

- - —- Continued from page 32 — ■ — - ■ .

Pays To Be Married" . . . Carroll Carroll was called for jury duty and
his 10 days in the box he’ll turn, to capital. He'll develop' a series
around his experiences. The title? “Jury Duty.” Carroll is under
contract at NBC-TV as a creative producer . . . Jackson Stanley, son
of the late Daily Variety staffer, Fred Stanley, joined up at ABC-TV
to develop “What’s the Name of That Song” for the network . . . Rod
Voigt is back at CBS radio in the news bureau.

11 V CHICAGO ...

Howard Mendelsohn, former WBBM-TV press chief, doing a special
project for the Harshe-Rotman p.r. firm . . . ABC newscaster Paul
Harvey heading for Mexico this week to do on-the-spot coverage of the
“Shrimp Fleet Wars” . . . WNBQ taking part in a six-week symposium
on color television at Northwestern U. this summer . . . WGN shelled
out $110,000 for a 50,000-watt transmitter to be installed at its Roselle,
Ill. transmitter site and for miscellaneous gear for WGN-TV . . . Bill
Anson doing a new interview and deejay show from the Tradewinds
restaurant on WAIT . . . Chet Roble slated to leave for Europe in Sep¬
tember with the Sig Sakowicz package, to entertain troops . . . Dick
Moore, prexy of KTTV, Los Angeles, checked in-for a round of agency
calls en route to N.Y. . . . Local CBS shop rounding out its new press
info department under Herb Grayson, with former Sun-Times reporter
Wayne Wille taking over the WBBM-TV publicity chores and Royce
Blair, due from San Francisco by June 1, the fadio outlet, WBBM . . .
Jack Brickhoiise narrated the WGN-TV pickup of the Chicago cleanup
parade, led by Maypr Richard Daley, last Saturday (27) . . . Marty Faye
started new five-night-weekly interview show, “Marty’s Morgue,” Sun¬
day (28) on WBKB . . . Cook County Sheriff Joseph D. Lohman helm¬
ing a 13-week series on the narcotics problem Sunday afternoons on
WNBQ.

IN LONDON . . .

Shirley Bassey, just back from the States, topped the bill of Asso¬
ciated Television’s “Sunday Night At The London Palladium” (28)T
Also on the show were Rowan & Martin the zany American comedy
team . . . Bandleader Nat Temple's BBC^TV series, “Tune Times With
Temple,” has been extended until the end of May . . . Associated
Television’s “Saturday Spectacular” (4), will feature Jack Bnchanan
and Tommy Steele . . . ABC-TV’s Playhouse featured Roger Livesey
and Helen Hayes in Richard Pryce’s “Frolic Wind,” on Sunday (28)

. . . Wolf Mankowitx and David Kossoff guested in BBC-TV’s “Picture
Parade,” on Monday (29) to discuss their Oscar, winning picture “The
Bespoke Overcoat” . . . Michael Hordern and Irene Worth star in As¬
sociated Television’s “Play Of The Week” tonight (Wed.), in J. B.
Priestley’s comedy “Mr. Kettle' and Mrs. Moon.”

IN BOSTON . . .

WBZ-TV hosts Hub tv writers aboard the USS Piper sub in Boston
Harbor Saturday (4). After submerging the scribblers in the sub,
they’ll be lunched at Jimmie’s on the fish pier,< all for “The Silent
Service,” new series of USN sub war adventures preeming on WBZ-
TV May 10 . . . WEEI started a new series of programs, “Our Amer¬
ican Music,” on Sundays from 11:15 to 12:15 a.m. . . . Helen Parkhurst,
WBZ-TV “Growing Pains” series, cited as one of seven women in radio
and tv to receive McCall’s Mike awards . . . Edward L. Pearle, WNAC-
TV promosh, lost his mother, Mrs. Florence E. Pearle this week fol¬
lowing a long illness . . . Two native Salemites meet for first time when
WNAC-TV’s Louise Morgan interviews Mary Curtis-Verna of the Met
Opera Friday (3) . . . H. Jeff Forbes, WNAC-TV film producer, guest
speaks May 14 at the Women’s Educational and Industrial Union
luncheon on “WNAC-TV’s Public Affairs—Public Service Films” . . .
Tam Bateston, WNAC-TV national sales director, in New York on biz
tour . . . Jim Gates, WNAC-TV sales off to Pennsylvania for vacash . . .
WNAC-TV’s second anni “Yankee Day at Fenway” hosts radio-tv
writers, .their wives and kiddies, May 11 when the Boston Red Sox
play the Washington Senators . . . Frank Luther; WNAC-TV’s con-'
sultant on childrens’ programs and public'affairs, appears at the anni
“Schools on Parade,” sponsored by Philadelphia Public Schools pre¬
sented before the National Education Association, May 8’ and will
entertain with his own composition of “Health Can Be Fun.” Syl¬
vester L. (Pat) Weaver, former prexy and board chairman NBC, will
be a panelist Friday (3)"on “State of the Acts and Trends” at Boston
U. Conference on the Creative Arts in Sheraton Plaza Hotel.

IN SAN FRANCISCO . . .

Bob Burris has resigned as a KJBS salesman, taken over as general
manager of KSAN. His replacement at KJBS is Reg Boos, ex-manager
of KOZE, Lewiston, Idaho . . . KCBS’s smart Dick Godfrey signed up
the Coast’s leading track-and-field expert, H. D. Thoreau, to voice
three track meets on the weekend “West Coast Grandstand” show
. . . Mystery writer Anthony Boucher, who lives- across Frisco Bay in
Berkeley, has been signed as story consultant for NBC-TV’s new
“Crisis” series . . •. Polly Bergen breezed into town,, with "husband
Freddie Fields and Bob Blake, flack to plug the upcoming “Helen
Morgan Story” for “Playhouse 90,” also told how she’d looked over
(mother) Lulu Morgan’s contract with Warners, discovered the 11-year-
old pact was non-exclusive . . . National Headliners’ Club kudosed
KPIX for its “Decision or Dilemma” series on rapid transit.

IN CLEVELAND ...

Bill Gordon, WHK, disker, pacted for WEWS five-minute 11:15 p.m.
cross-the-board weather strip . . . Bob Forster exited WSFS disking
for WJW replacing Jack Fuller who went to Chicago . . . KYW news
director Sanford Markey became the first Ohioan to be named by
Army in “Press Club” presentation as “Lifetime Honorary Recruiter”
for his efforts in the Nike program, etc. Only 12 others in'the-.nation
have been so honored .• . . Mildred Funnell returns to KYW radio
waves when Gloria BroWn takes hiatus from “On the Go” . . . Louise
Winslow, Barbara* Reinker, Janelle Moser, Mary Holt and Judy Sher¬
rill at AWRT sessions . . . WGAR disker Tom Armstrong cited by
Radio-TV Council . . . Jerry Walsh leaves KYW record library for
Case Tech publicity post . . . Richard M.. Keelor named auditor for
Westinghouse stations ... Eddie Coen pacted for publicity for Grand¬
view and Northfield Downs.

IN DETROIT . . .

John F. Patt, WJR prexy who is spearheading station's 2\5th anni¬
versary this week, also is observing his own 35th anni in the broad¬
casting biz . . . New WWJ-TV quiz show, “Play to Win,” with all¬
expense trip for two as the jackpot features Blenda Isbey as host¬
ess .. . “Hobbies in Action,” featuring Steve Booth, will be upped
from a quarter hour on WWJ-TV to a half hour and will be seen in
color . . . Detroit Skating Club's “Ice Festival of 1957” will be tele¬
cast by WWJ-TV in an hour presentation . . . New WWJ-TV entries
are “Teen Room,” live, two-hour show featuring teenage talent with
Bob Maxwell as emcee; “Erroll Flynn Theatre,” dramatic seriei;

“Whirlybirds,” telefilm adventure series about helicopter • service;
“Frontier,” film oater, and ‘Matinee Performance,” featuring Columbia
pix Saturday afternoons.

IN DALLAS . . .

Pat Boone, Dot recording star, will head a Cotton Bowl show Oct.
13, sponsored by KLIF. The McLendon station last fall brought in
Elvis Presley in a similar deal, and drew 26,500 fans . . . Wendy Barrie
in. to headline special KRLD-TV remote of new “Singing Hills” resi¬
dential openipg, along with Marian McNight^ Miss America, for Wyatt
& Bearden ad agency . . . Mark Russell, repping Godfrey's “Talent
Scouts” tv’er^in-for Texas auditions last week . . . Leo Peeper band
continuing Friday night airings on WFAA from Aragon Ballroom . . .
Dizzy Dean, CBS-TV baseball announcer, moved his home to Phoenix,
Ariz., but still maintains “a home and'Cadillac” here for fast airline
facilities . . . John Howard, star of “Dr. Hudson’s Secret Journal,”
here Monday and Tuesday for tv show plugs . . . Smiley Burnette
guested on KRLD’s "Big D Jamboree”’Saturday.

IN MINNEAPOLIS ...

Julian B. Hoshal and Dick Hance, KSTP radio-tv-news director and
tv photo director, respectively, won 1956 Sigma Delta Chi award for
tv reporting and will receive medallions in New York May 16. Previ¬
ously, “Skip” Nelson, KSTP-TV assistant photo director, had been
awarded first place in the-National Press Photography Association and
Encyclopedia Brittanica newsreel competition. KSTP-TV also boasts
two other major news awards, one for “Nation’s Outstanding tv News
Operation” and the other for “Best TV News Story of 1956” from Radio
and TV News Directors Association . . . WCCO.’s'tv and radio ace,
Cedric Adams, chosen to emcee the May 2 dinner in New York climax¬
ing the “Betty Crocker Search for the All-American Homemaker of
Tomorrow” , . . Red Owl Stores, one of area’s leading chain food out¬
fits, signed longterm contract with KMGM-TV that puts “Red Owl
Theatre,” featuring M-G-M video releases, on station every Wednesday
afr 9 p.m. KMGM-TV calls the contract its largest single account
signed to date.

\lN SEATTLE , . ,

Bill O’Mara, KING sports'director, starts weekly half-hour program,
“Hydro Highlights” May 14. Show will cover hydroplane news and
highlights from past races and oh-the-scene reports from camps of
various owners and drivers. Pacific Marine Supply sponsors, Hydro¬
plane racing is big stuff in the Pacific Northwest . . . Bob Salter, KJR
disk jockey, goes to KNEW, Spokane, with Jay Ward taking over his
spot at KJR . . , KOMO-TV doing weekly five-minute color show on
home conveniences for Frederick & Nelson . . . KTVW did both games
of Rainiers-Can Francisco Seals opening day doubleheader, with John
Jarstad again handling play-by-play. !

IN PHILADELPHIA ...

Benn Squires, WRCV-TV director, who recently chalked up 10 years
with station, exited to. become exec producer of NBC’s “Night Line,"'
his first radio venture . . . Ralph Brent, WIP veepee and director of
sales, and Varner Paulsen, program director, each to address three
. sessions of the Radio Program Clinics, sponsored, by Broadcast Music,
Inc. Brent will attend the BMI confabs at Montgomery, Ala (May 6);
Atlanta, Georgia (8); Orlando, Fla. (10). Paulsen will guest at Okla¬
homa City’(13); Hutchinson, Kan. (15); and York, Neb. (17) . . . Peggy
Wood awarded “Scroll of Friendship” from local women’s clubs, at a
luncheon at the Bellevue Stratford (27) . . . Parke Levy in from Coast
to visit family . . . Max Leon, owner of WHAT to discuss “culture” in
radio at the CoinnoisseUrs Club (May 10) . . . Taylor Grant, WRCV-TV
newscaster, on vacation (3-19). Alan Scott sub.

IN PITTSBURGH ...

Josh Wheeler, folk singer, brought on from New York to do the Iron
City and Tech beer commercials on broadcasts and telecasts of Pirates’

. games. He’& being assisted by Renee Rogoff, Playhouse actress . . .
Jerry Coleman has resigned as manager and chief engineer of WBUT
in Butler to go with that city’s other and older station, WISR, as direc¬
tor of public relations . . . Local comic Marty. Allen-and his partner,
Mitch De Wood,, make, the first of three appearances on Ed Sullivan’s
tv show Sunday night . . . Bill Steinbach, who graduated last June from
Duquesne, where he was on the staff of the campus station, WDUQ,
has been added to the KDKA news staff on night assignments . . . Sam
Lane, .record promotion man, putting iirtwo evenings a week as a vol¬
unteer worker on the educational channel, WQED . . . Harry Foster,
former salesman at WCAE, now managing WFPG in Atlantic City.

AWRT Convention Chatter

Continued from page 32 —_

delphia, . copped third annual
AWRT . scholarship of $500, plus
all-expense trip to St. Louis, for
outstanding achievement in cam¬
pus broadcasting activities and in
radio-tv courses. Betty Ross West,
NBC in Chicago, chairmanned
committee which chose the Quaker
City teenager from list of candi¬
dates from all over U. S.

* + *

Air Force Col. Barney Oldfield,
author of “Never a Shot in Anger,”
and one-time Variety mugg, at¬
tended his fourth AWRT conven¬
tion. He was responsible for much
of the groundwork which resulted
in prize-winning series of DelVina
Wheeldbn, WCKY, Cincinnati, one
of McCall winners. Miss Wheel-
don’s experience in jet flying form
the basis for a new Universal short.
* * *

Edythe Meserand, former news
director % for WOR, now freelance
industrial publicist, and Jane Bar¬
ton radio-tv-fiim director for New
York State, have bought a 165 -acre
farm at Esperance, N. Y., plan to
raise Christmas trees for sale-. ,
Marie Hulbert, KOLN-TV, Lincoln, i
Neb., reports she is having ■ the\
time of her life, and making money, ,
to boot, with her new career as tv
cooking expert. 65-year-old Mrs.
Hulbert went into tv -after retire¬
ment from a career as cafeteria
manager, has a daily cooking show,
and is sponsored cross the boards.
* * *

At least two femme d.j.’s turned
bp at the oonventioh. Ada Redd

Browning, WSJS-NBC, Winston-
Salem, N. C., and Betty Mqon,
KOLS & KBIX, Muscovee, Okla.,
both vets of the conventional
“woman’s sTiow,” both grandmoth¬
ers, spin platters to tune of jingle
of the cash register and audience
approval. Mrs. Browning, a self-
styled “middle hair” d.j. boasts up
to 10 sponsors for her daily hour
show. Her formula—“I play music,
ar.d no sneaky commercials.” . . .
Mrs. Moon has just added her first
sponsor to her “30 minutes for
Pop”-portion of her daily show,
mingles household hints, public
service, giveaways, on her “Neigh¬
bor of the Air” show.

* * *

Honors for best chapter attend¬
ance, outside of New York City’s
impressive record of 80 delegates,
went to Washington, D.C., with 23
members in St. Louis . . . Jean
Allen, frau of Leid Eid, NBC’s
Paris rep, reunioned with fellow
AWRT members. She is currently
visiting in the States, plans to re¬
turn to Paris next month.

* * *

Following were elected to board
of AWRT to serve for a two-year
term: .Jeanne Bacher, owner-man¬
ager, KCST, Fresno, Calif.; Ruth
Goldberg, radio-tv rep, American

Soap <fc Glycerine Co.; Bea John¬

son, femmecaster, KMBC-ABC,
Kansas City; Henrietta Reiser, Bo -
zell Jacobs, N. Y.; and Martha
Rupprecfyt, .CBS-TV t N. Y. ,

. • > . Flnr.

Boston

Continued from page 33 — ■
most exhaustive investigation” if
the Commission gave the channel
to the Herald-Traveler. Owners of
the-newspaper, he said, are “con¬
victed monopolists” identified with
United Shoe Machinery Co. which
has been involved in antitrust ac¬
tions.

Dingell^said that acquisition of
the channel by the Herald-Traveler
will lead to the “demise” of, the
Boston Globe. The Globe had
sought to have the chanhel 5 hear¬
ings reopened for evidence regard¬
ing allegations that the Herald
threatened to drive ifeout of busi¬
ness through its proposed tv sta¬
tion , if it did not enter into a
merger.

The Commission voted 4-2 for
the Herald, with Comrs, Rosel
Hyde and Robert Bartley dissent¬
ing and Comr. T. A. M. Craven ab¬
staining. Hyde disagreed With the
majority’s evaluation qf the diver¬
sification issue in its bearing on
the qualifications of the Herald. It
would have been 4 Imore logical,”
he said, if the majority preferred
the Herald because of the advan¬
tages to a tv station in having' a
newspaper and a 50,000 watt radio
outlet.

Comr. Bartley said he could not
“find the logic” on which the ma¬
jority based its decision. The rec¬
ord of the hearings, he said, “do.es
not support the conclusions
reached by the majority.”

An examiner’s recommendation
favored Greater Boston Television
Carp., and rated Massachusetts Bay
Telecasters as second in prefer¬
ence. Allen B. DuMont Labs, was
the fourth applicant. A fifth ap¬
plicant, the Boston Post, withdrew
when the newspaper suspended
publication last fall.

Commenting editorially on the
Channel 5 award, the competing
Boston Globe, which had inter¬
vened in the Channels hassle, had
this to say over the weekend:

“Four of the seven members of
the FCC have now voted to re¬
verse the decision of its own chief
examiner and to award the new
Boston tv channel to WHDH„ a sta¬
tion owned , by the Bostoq Herald-
Traveler. Two members of the
commission voted against this de¬
cision and they made minority re¬
ports. A third, member of the
commission abstained from voting.

“The commission, many months
ago, announced that there was
room for a new channel in Boston,
to be known as Channel 5. Five
groups applied for this new chan¬
nel. One of the five was a news¬
paper, the Herald-Traveler. The
Globe was never an applicant.

“When the applications were
filed, they were given, in the usual
procedure to the commission’s chief
examiner to determine which of
the applicants would best serve the
public interest in Boston. The
chief examiner, in due course, re¬
ported to the commission, recom¬
mending a Boston* group which was
not associated with any newspaper.
He explained why it is the policy
of the commission to have means
of communicating news to the pub¬
lic spread as widely as possible.
That is, that it is better for the
community if ndws . sources are not
concentrated in one ownership.

“The commission, however, de¬
cided not to accept 7 its examiner’s
report. The commissioners called
for a new report and it became
clear that the commission intended
to reverse its examiner’s report
and to award the new channel to
the - newspaper applicant. It was
at this point that the Globe and the
four rejected applicants inter¬
vened and asked that the Commis¬
sion reopen the case. It has seemed
to the Globe that a great deal of
pressure was brought to bear upon
the Commission to reverse its ex¬
aminer’s report.

“The burden of the Globe’s po¬
sition was: That it is not in ac¬
cordance with 'the Commission’s
policy to have a tv and news
sources in the same ownership
when other qualified groups are-
available.

“And that it has been the desire
of theT Herald-Traveler combine
not only its radio, tv and its news¬
paper, but also to combine the
Globe and the Herald-Traveler, or
to eliminate the Globe as a Boston
newspaper. -

“The Federal Communications
Commission; nevertheless, reversed
its examiner and on Thursday
handed the new channel to the
Herald-Traveler.

“The Globe will continue to pub¬
lish an independent newspaper as
happily as it has for. the past 85
years. Uncle J)qdley;”j x

■WV&Mtday, May X, 1957 - __ PSRtETY _[_TELB\lHON WEV1KWS 41 "

M» »♦■»»»+♦ > ♦-»»+»♦♦+ ♦♦♦»»+♦»»»»♦»♦

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;; Tele Follow-Up Comment i:

< 41 ♦ M f ♦♦♦♦++♦♦♦♦ ♦ ♦ + ♦♦ ♦♦♦ ♦ ♦»» ♦♦♦44-4“4- M -+++4-H-M-’

Caesar’s Hour

That Mike Wallace has emerged
as • a tv personality of no puny
stature was demonstrated Satur¬
day night (27) when Sid Caesar on
his NBC-TV hour put the. Wal¬
lace / closeup interview technique
through the coast-to-coast: v satiriza-
tion mill even before Wallace him¬
self had achieved network show¬
casing. (It wasn’t until the follow¬
ing night, in fact, that Wallace pre¬
miered on the full web cables via
his new ABC-TV show.)

With Carl Reiner in the Wallace
interrogator spot and Caesar in
the hot seat, it was one of those
excruciatingly funny bits that
every now and then project the
"Caesar Hour” into the area of
"classic comedies.” Indeed, it’s a
sad ' ’ commentary oil ‘ American
viewing habits and': social mores
when, by - virtue. of his current
plight and cancellation . of his
weekly show, there’s no spectrum
space of respectable ’dimensions
for a continuing Caesar niche. For
thera’s. no disputing the fact that
he’s, one of the. genuine comics of
our time. And as second and third
bananas, Reiner and Howard Mor¬
ris are, along With Art Carney of
the Jackie Gleason show, without
peer, - •

The closing 15-minute Jerome
Kern calvacade. incidentally, was
one of the high marks of the
semester in. musical tributes.
Caesar and his entire crew turned
in a swift-moving production of
sock and tasteful proportions in
spanning a couple of dozen of the
Kern gems in instrumental, vocal
and choreographic vignettes in’
some stunning solo and group per¬
formances. It was a real treat and
a deserving tribute to one of the
greatest of the . ,20th Century
eleffers. .. Rose.

Kaiser Aluminum Hour

Baseball took a beating from tv
last week (23) in a musicalization
of "A Man’s Game” by David Shaw
with a score by Maddy Russell &
Jack Siegel. Show was an adapta¬
tion of a previously telecast script
by Robert Alan Aurthur.

Despite a lot of hard work in the
song and emoting departments by
Nanette Fabray, the show remained
a trite comedy effort about a gal
pitcher and a hayseed husband who
doesn’t want to sit in the bleachers
with a scorecard. It’s all resolved
before the opening day of the sea¬
son, when the femme terror of the
moiind finds that she’s enciente
and benches herself for the dura¬
tion.

The Shaw script never developed
more than the one-joke theme of
a lady pitcher and the Russell-
Siegel score was a moderate
cleffing' job with nothing memo¬
rable ‘ emerging from their ballad
or special production material.

Supplying notable assists to the
virtually all-Fabray.. show were
Gene Nelson, as the husband, and
Lew Parker and Paul Ford, as ball
club’s manager and owner, respec¬
tively: Gros.

Playhouse 90

First of the new 90-minute films
being shot for “Playhouse 90” by
the CBS-TV-owned Filmaster Pro¬
ductions clearly indicates how a
good story treatment and direction
can work wonders in the face of
a tight budget. Filmed on location
in Arizona at a cost of . only $150,-
000, “Four Women,in .Black,” pre¬
sented on the show last Thursday
(25 )',' is clearly superior to the
filmed' segments done for “Play¬
house” in the past and in fact bet¬
ter than a lot of. the premium-
priced theatrical product emanat¬
ing from Hollywood these days.
CBS plans to exhibit the Filmaster
product .theatrically overseas, and
should find little trouble in creat¬
ing a market for itself*.

“Four. Women in* Black” ' is a
triple-play effort for Bernard Gir¬
ard (6x-“Dragnet” and “Medic”),
who wrbte the screenplay, pro¬
duced and directed the film. It’s
also a triumph for Helen Hayes,
making - her telefilm,. debut, and
Ralph Meeker, who share star bill*,
ing with Katy. Jurador and Janice
Rule. ‘ Story simply details the
journey across the Arizona desert
of four nuns and an oafish cow¬
poke whom they run into. Meeker,
as the cowboy, is on the lam from
a clan of ranchers, the head of
whom he shot on his last job. The
nuns, who en route pick up a Mex¬
ican girl and her kid brother and
an Indian Meeker wounded, are
determined to get to the mission
In Tuscon to set up a hospital.

Although' there are a couple of
Indian attacks and gunfight epi¬
sodes and what amounts to a con¬
tinuous slow-chase, the story is
told and directed strictly in comic
relief 1 , pitting’ the calm, quiet and
dignified determination of the sis¬

ters to get to their destination in
the face of all obstacles and to do
good regardless of the risk agaihst*
the oafishness, impatience and
practicality of Meeker;* He turns
in a superb comic performance
ranging from impatience to disgust
to real warmth. In contrast, Miss
Hayes, excellent as always, pro¬
vides the counterpoint with a
steady glow of warmth, good sense
and kindliness. Misses Jurado,
Rule and Narda Onyx, as the other
nuns, Lita Milan and Rudy Alonzo
as the Mexicans and a topflight
supporting cast make the acting
uniformly good.

In effect “Four Women in
Black” is a lightweight entry, with¬
out any serious “message” or dra¬
matic impact, but it’s a charming
offbeat kind of comedy that exudes
good humor and is a perfect exam¬
ple of how this kind of subject
should be handled. Girard can
take the bows on this one for some
topflight direction of his own ex¬
cellent script and for overall fine
production values, not the least of
which was the casting of Miss
Hayes and Meeker. . Chan.

Wide Wide World

California, the ■ “land of prom¬
ise,” is a big place to cover in a
mere 90 minutes but NBC-TV’s
“Wide Wide World” made a laud¬
able attempt Sunday (28). For the
roving live cameras of several of
the chain’s affiliates took viewers
on a Cook’s tour from the Mexican
border to San Francisco plus a
number of points in between.

Perhaps the most interesting
stop was at Chula Vista, where the
“wetback” problem was explored
via interviews with U.S. Border
Patrol officials and a Mexican mi¬
gratory worker. Pages of history
were turned back in a visit to Sut¬
ter’s Fort near Donner Pass. More
than a century ago—4n 1846—some
42 travelers perished in the pass
when trapped by snow. Mementos
of that journey to the ‘land of
promise” are preserved in the fprt<

Among other glimpses of the
California scene were views of
Highway 101 as it wends its way
past the oil fields of Huntington
Beach, up the Los Angeles Free-'
way and ultimately the Golden
Gate Bridge. At the latter tourist
mecca members of the San Fran¬
cisco ballet contribbed some im¬
aginative choreography. Califor¬
nia’s “greatest natural resources”
—its youth—also came in for at¬
tention. Here the cameras focused
on the UCLA campus in Westwood,
where students rehearsed for a
“Spring sing.”

In addition, there were scenes of
the “American Oberammergau” at
Hemet, Cal. Here the townfolk
have been' presenting “Ramona,”
an outdoor pageant based upon a
novel by Helen Hunt. Jackson, for
some 30 years. “It’s the gaiety of
old California,” WWW emcee Dave
Garroway so aptly commented,
“playerf by new Californians.”

Withal, it was an hour and a half
well spent with the NBC-TV elec¬
tronic magic carpet. California
Gov. Goodwin Knight introed the
program by citing his state’s ad¬
vantages. Plugs for sponsor Gen¬
eral Motors products failed to de¬
tract from the session’s overall im¬
pact. In fact some of the blurbs
not only were entertaining, but
instructional. * Gilb.'

Entertainment Press Conference

George Jessel revealed a lot of
his inner workings .under the prod¬
ding of A1 (“The Great Man”) Mor¬
gan .and Mary Margaret McBride
who has probably interviewed
more personalities over the air than
any other woman in the broadcast
business. On last week’s session of
“Entertainment Press Conference”
(DuMont, Tues.,'8:30 p.m.) Jessel
revealed himself to be a man of
depth, charm and intellect, at least
in the areas in which questions
were thrown at him.

Today, Jessel‘spends his time
touring the country for Israeli-
causes and does a lot of toastmas¬
tering: In his reflections, he indi¬
cated that this was a sad end of a
man with the vast attainments that
he has. He said that had he been
in any other business than show
business, he would have gone much
farther. It was not said bitterly,
since the entertainment industry
has been good to him. But, here is
a man virtually self-educated who
has become one of the- more liter¬
ate after-dinner speakers, toast¬
masters, and frequently an enter¬
tainer of great depth. It is proba¬
bly true that other segments of so¬
ciety could have used his services
for greater gaiifc than the amuse¬
ment world.

Jessel spoke feelingly of a phil-
(Continued on page 0 48)

KATE SMITH HOUR
With Gertrude Berg, Edgar Ber¬
gen, Benny Goodman, Boris Kar¬
loff, Ed Wyhu, Billy Williams’
Quartet, Jack Miller Orch, An-;
dre Baruch j

Producer: Ted Collins
Director: Greg Garrison
Writer: Gordon Auchincloss
—60 Mins., Sun. (28), 9 p.m. i

YOUNGSTOWN KITCHENS
ABC-TV,“ from New York
( Grey)

Kate Smith put on a professional
show Sunday (28) on ABC-TV in
the time slot generally reserved
for the efforts of Ted Mack’s ama¬
teurs.' It was a display of class and
charm with virtually all the per¬
formers being members of the
same era when Miss Smith reached
her apex. Nearly all were of the
upper echelon in radio and who
helped start television. The show
was made up of the veteran re¬
serves who can deliver when called
upon. Production was generally
excellent and pacing was lively.

Miss Smith, who has slimmed
down somewhat, is a performer of
stature and authority. Her song
sessions, were made up usually of
tunes that were written in an ear¬
lier era. However, she made a con¬
cession to calypso in company of
the Edgar Bergen dummies, and
even sashayed a bit on the boards
with ‘.‘Old Soft Shoe.” Also in her
efforts away from song was a bit
with Gertrude Berg, whose Molly
Goldberg character is a warm hit
of radio and, video lore. This epi¬
sode had charm and ease and went
over excellently.

Bergen got a lot of mileage out
of his two dummies. His bit was
smooth and laugh productive. Bor¬
is Karloff changed character by
essaying a recitative of “Septem¬
ber Song,” not his usual saucer of
blood, but he showed a warmth in
his bit with Ed Wynn. Latter who
is in his 70s and who has found
a new career in dramatics, was
seen as attempting to peddle
his inventions to Karloff who
seemed to relish a trade of his—
a set of macabre props. An ex¬
change was made.

Benny'Goodman provided a ses¬
sion of literate and colorful jazz.
Renditions of “One O’clock Jump,”
“Stomping at the Savoy” and
“Bugle Call Rag” were whiffs of a
golden period in the band indus¬
try. Billy Williams Quartet, the
opening act, did well.

Miss Smith partook in the com¬
mercials for .Youngstown kitchens,
which seemed repetitious and
somewhat unimaginative. Jose.

Foreign TV Review

LIFE WITH TOMMY
With Tommy Cooper, Hugh Pad-
dick, Richard Waring, Malcolm
Lockyer and orch, others
Script: Dave Freeman and Freddie
Sadler

Director: Peter Croft
30 Mins. Mon., 9:30
Associated-Rediffusion from Lon¬
don

Known to the British public as
a crazy magician, Tommy Cooper
has left conjuring out of his com¬
mercial tv series, but has retained
the magic of his humor. Well over
six feet in height and ruggedly
I proportioned, Cooper is an artist
perfectly suited to the visual me¬
dium. Dialog is of secondary im¬
portance in this show, which is
made up of a series of sketches.
The supporting cast is - allowed a
great deal of freeway, which adds
to > the crazy situations. Cooper’s
main prop is Hugh Paddick, who’s
proved his worth in the current
West-End revue “For Amusement
Only.” Camera work is straight-'
forward, and production • ditto, al¬
though there are times when
quicker reactions from the produ¬
cer’s box could save some unneces¬
sary, dull spots.

Brightest spot of the show was
a sketch involving Cooper and
Paddick. Latter played a psychia¬
trist mistaken by Cooper as a den¬
tist. Malcolm Lockyer orchestra,
which supplied the incidental mu¬
sic (there were no song spots in the
show), sounded unrehearsed, and
consequently unsure of the score.

Bary.

SPRING FLING

With Sheldon Allmalr, Desmond
Walter. Ellis, Peter Butterworth,

> Angela Andersen, Pip Hinton,
Joan Sims, Sheila “O’Neill, An¬
thony Bateman, Bill Hitchcock,
Sylvia Winter, Isobel Luoas,

^Patricia. Webster, Jeanette
Brown, Billy Ternent and his
orch., others
Director: Douglas Hurn
60 Mins., Thurs., 9 p.m.
Associated-Rediffusion from
London

American singer Sheldon All-
man scored well with his first
British appearance on this show.
It was the first time the public this i
(Continued on page .’8).

’CINDERELLA
(Producers’. Showcase)

With Margot Fonteyn, Michael
Somes, Frederick Adi ton, Ken*
neth MacMillan, Franklin White,
PIrmin Trecu, Ray Powell,
Douglas Steuart, Leslie Edwards,
Basil Thompson, Julia Farron,
Alexander Grant, others; Robert
Irving, conductor

Executive Producer: Mort Abra¬
hams

Director: Clark Jones
Choreographer: Frederick Ashton
Settings: Otis Riggs
Costumes: Jean-Denis Malclcs
90 Mins.;. Mon. (29 h 8 p.m.

RCA-WHIRLPOOL, PRUDENTIAL
NBC-TV, from New York (color)
(Kenyon & Eckhardt ; McCann-
Erickson)

NBC-TV’s one-month-later an¬

swer to Rodgers & Hammerstein’s
modern musicalization of “Cinder¬
ella” was Monday’s (29) Royal
Ballet (ex-Sadler’s Wells) produc¬
tion of the selfsame fairy tale star¬
ring Margot Fonteyn.

R & H, Julie Andrews and the
more conventional and favored
musicomedy form being what they
are, there will be no stratospheric
Nielsens as a reminder of Monday’s
stunningly staged ballet. Yet with¬
in the framework of this 90-minute
“Producers’ Showcase” presenta¬
tion, some abundant elements of
taste, imagination, skill and artis¬
try were captured.

Ballet on tv has come a long way
these past* few years, and it was
strikingly evident in “Cinderel.a,”
for the camera work was brought
to a fine point of perfection, with
many of the technique bugaboos
overcome in covering the dance,
whether that of a solo performer
or of an entire corps de ballet.
Technically, most of the problems
were hurdled and tv gave a fluid
ballet that danced beyond the lim¬
itations of the small screen. The
performers and the brilliant cos¬
tumes, the color and the flawless
complement of the Prokofiev score,
the original sets that enhanced the
elusive make-believe—all fused to
transpose the “Cinderella” fantasy
to a fairy tale of today that was
acceptable in its charm and
artistry.

As* choreographed by Frederick
Ashton to Prokofiev’s delightful
score, “Cinderella,” one of the
niost popular full-length ballets in
the Sadler’s Wells repertoire,
maintained an unflagging "pace,,
punctuated at the right moments
with an exaggerated buffoonery on
the part of the step-sisters (per¬
formed to the hilt by a couple of
gents, Ashton and MacMillan, with
their monstrous caricatures and
awkward gaucheries). Yet through¬
out there were a succession of peak
moments^ with Miss Fontej'n as the
glittering star. The second act was
an uninterrupted dance in the fine
tradition and .classic manner and
permitted a virtuoso number by
Miss Fonteyn that was breath-tak¬
ing. Michael Somes as the Prince
was heroic in his flamboyant grace
and the solo dancers as the sea¬
sons, the stars and the fairy god¬
mother, were accomplished and
graceful.

RCA’-s compatible tints gave the
whole an even more fairy-like
lustre. Rose.

WORLD OF SPORTS
With Stan Torgerson
Producers: Dave Steele, Jack Dun¬
ning

Director: Ed Greaney
15 Mins., Mon. thru Fri., 10:15 p.m.
JAX BREWING CO.
WMCT-Mempkis

( Fitzgerald )

Stan Torgerson has cemented
himself in this sector’s top nightly
tv show which is a cinch to become
contagious as the season continues.
Big Stan (The Man for Memphis)'
certainly knows his way around the
“World of Sports” bases piped five-
times-weekly for the Jax Beer peo¬
ple out of New Orleans. In fact,
WMCT’s Torgerson also proved his
“in” with big names in the sports
world when he brought before
Channel 5’s cameras Harry Stuhl-
dreher of the immortal Four Horse¬
men fame, as his preem guest
sportstar. It was a “grand slam¬
mer,” scoring heavily with the na¬
tive? and WMCT’s huge Mid-
South viewing audience.

Torgerson, who is w.k. in both
regional,and national sports circles,
literally “owns” the late viewing
audience here with the only late
tv show spotlighting the variety
sports picture. In addition to the
usual audience-getter scoreboard
of baseball results, “World of
Sports” is well spotted with timely
film clips of top sport highlights
of the day with “Big Stan” doing
a sock commentary stint in the
background. Incidentally, Torger-
son’s easy spieling and camera style
win him added spurs for an alK.
around polished performance.

Matt.

HOI WALLACE INTERtlEWf
With Gloria Ewanson, meat
Prodaeert Ted Yates Jr.
Director! Jack Sameth
Researcher: A1 Ramrns
30 Mins. f Sun., 10 p.m.

PHILIP MORRIS
ABC-TV, from New York
( N. W. Ayer)

Mike Wallace, one of the few tv
personalities to create a stir this
past season with his in-depth prob¬
ing of interviewees on his WABD,
N.Y. “Nightbeat” showcase, is now
utilizing the technique on a net¬
work basis with the premiere of
his half-hour ‘‘Mike Wallace Inter¬
view's” on ABC-TV Sunday night
(28) at 10..

Unlike his purely-local DuMont
flagship program, which devotes a
full hour to two "stories” four
nights a week (and which in the
aggregate piles up a lot of impact
and mileage in the area of contro¬
versy) W T allace rides the coast-to-
coast cables with'a single subject.
If some of that selfsame impact
was missing (and obviously some
bewildered Duluth and Oshkosh
viewers will be wandering “what’s
all the shouting about?”) blame it
on the decision to dissect the life
and times of Gloria Swanson as the
initial '‘hot seat” entry. A more
cool,' collected and non-controver-
sial subject could not hive been
chosen for expose.

In fact there may even be claims
of false pretenses in Wallace’s
dramatic buildup of the “profile
of a legend” and a “controversial
woman.” No less a revelation’than
the love life of Cleopatra (or maybe
Zsa Zsa Gabor) could have matched
the billing.

This, of course in no way
mitigated against Miss Swanson,
for she emerged as a charming, pre¬
possessing, intelligent and thought¬
ful woman. Unfortunately her
“story” of the poor little rich girl
in search of love and romance and
someone to support her had about*
ns much excitement or “controver¬
sy” as “Cinderella.”

True, she acknowledged (and this
was saved for the clincher) that
she was 58; that good pictures are
made today; that an unintentional
affectionate pat by Francis X.
Bushman when she was 14 may
account for his recent pronounce¬
ment that any time, any place he’ll
take Marilyn Monroe over Gloria
in all her glory; that the roaring
20’s roared all over the world and
not only in Hollyw'ood.

In short Wallace is*a’fine inter¬
viewer; a very sincere salesman.
Whether he’ll pack the same wallop
and create as much excitement as
lie’s done on "Nightbeat” still
remains to be seen. Next week’s
subject — Eldon L. Edwards, the
Imperial Wizard of the Klu Klux
Klan — might prove the point.
Locally, he’s had a number of ex¬
traordinarily gifted and intelligent
Negroes who have minced no words
on the subject of segregation. On
a national hookup and under big-
league commercial auspices (Philip
•Morris), it’s still to be determined
whether he’ll have the same lati¬
tude and freedom. Rose.

SARATOGA CALLS

With Jerry Coyle, Earle Pudney Sc

Trio , ,

15 Mins.; Wed., 7:30 p.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS COMMIS¬
SION

WRGB-TV, Schenectady

Believed to be the first time the
Saratoga Springs Commission has
sponsored a televisipn programs on
behalf of the “1300 Acres of
[Healthland” at the State Reserva¬
tion, the quarter-hour features two
WRGB standbys, announcer-tenor
Jerry Coyle and pianist-singer
Earle Pudney. They are supported
by a trio, on guitar, piano-accor¬
dion and bass, consisting of Bill
Sherman, Lou Podesa and Lou
Sylvester.

It is a pleasing modest-budgeter,
which could be tightened, and
would be improved if Coyle’s dual
assignments were reduced. On
show viewed he hopped from a
nice rendition of “It’s Wonderful”
into a commercial. Earlier, Coyle,
former night club vocalist and a
WGY announcer, teamed with
Pudney (at the keyboard) for a
smooth two-language number.
They harmonize well. Pudney,
also a WGY morning personality,
plays the 88’s skillfully. His part
here could be built. Trio acquits
itself'creditably. Jaco.

Goodwin Strip Axed

Hollywood, April 30.

Bill Goodwin’s hour daytime
strip which started on NBC Radio
Jan. 14 is being dropped because of
net’s inability to clear enough sta¬
tions to attract sponsors.

It .won’t be replaced. On the
show with Goodwin were- comie
Dave* Ketchum and vocalist Ro¬
berta Linn.

42

TV-FILMS

PSMEff

VeJneadty, May 1, 1957

ABB FEATUBE FILM CHABT

Variety's weekly chart, based on ratings k furnished by American Research Bu¬
reau's latest reports, on feature films and the if competition, covers 120 cities. Each
week, the 10 top-rated features in a particular city will be rotated.

Factors which would assist distributors, agencies , stations and ' advertisers in
determining the effectiveness of a feature show in a specific market have* been
included in this Variety chart . Listed below is such pertinent information regarding
features as their stars, release year, original production company and the present
distributor, included wherever possible along with the title. Attention should be paid
to such factors as the time and day, the » high and low ratings for the measured

feature period and share of audience, since these' factors reflect the effectiveness
jof the feature, and audience composition, i.e. a late show at 11:15 p.m. would hardly
have any children viewers, but its share of audience may . reflect dominance in that
time period. In the cities where stations sell their feature programming on a multi-
stripped basis utilizing the same theatrical throughout the week, a total rating for the
total number of showings for the week is given, the total rating not taking into account
the duplicated homes factor , Barring unscheduled switches in titles, the listed features
for the particularly rated theatrical filmed show are as accurate as could be ascer¬
tained from a multiplicity, of station and other data.

LOS ANGELES

TOP 10 TITLES AND OTHER DATA

1. TEST PILOT—

Clark Gable, Myrna Loy,

Spencer Tracy; 1937;

MGM; MGM-TV

2. DESTINATION TOKYO—

Cary Grant, John Garfield;

1943; Warner Brothers; Associated
Artists Productions

5. DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK—

. Claudette Colbert, Henry
•Fonda; 1939; 20th Century

Fox; NTA.

4. SEE HERE, PRIVATE HARGROVE—
Robert Walker, Donna Reed;

1944; MGM; MGM-TV

0, THE CROWD ROARS—

Robert Taylor, Maureen O’Sullivan;
1938; MGM; MGM-TV

I. THE BLACK SWAN—

Tyrone Power, Maureen O’Hara;

1942; 20th Century. Fox; NT A.

6 . THE BEGINNING OR THE END—
Brian Donlevy, Audrey Totter,

Robert Walker; 1947;

MGM; MGM-TV

7. PARIS AFTER DARK—

Brenda Marshall, George Saunders;
1943; 20th Century Fox; NTA

7. DANGEROUSLY THEY LIVE—

John Garfield, Nancy Coleman,
.Raymond Massey;-1941; Warner
Brothers; Associated Artists Production*

5. SIGN OF THE RAM—

Susan Peters, Alexander Knox;

1944; Columbia; Screen Gems

ARB

SHARK OV

MARCH, 1957

ARB

TIME SLOT

RATING

HIGH

LOW

AUDHNCH

TOP COMPETING SHOWS

RATING

Colgate Theatre

25.6

27.0

22.9

42.8

West Point...

.KNXT

Fri. March 1

• V

Zane Grey Theatre... *.......

.KNXT ,

8:00-10:15 p.m.

Mr. Adams Sc Eve..

.KNXT ,

KTTV

Playhouse ,of Stars.

.KNXT ,

Line-Up .

.KNXT

Premiere Showing

16.2

16.7

15.0

23.7

What's My Line,....,.

.KNXT ,

........364

Sun. March 3

Ed Sullivan...

.KNXT

7:30-9:30 p.m.

G. E. Theatre...

.KNXT

...*.,..24,3

KTLA

20th Century Fox

9.7

10.1

8.4

15.3

20th Century Fox...

.KNXT. ,

Wed. March 6

Disneyland ..«...

.KABC ,

.27.5

7:00-9:00 p.m.

KTTV

Million Viewer Theatre

5.6

6.9

3.7

27.6

This Is Your Life.

.KRCA

Wed. March 6

Big News...

KNXT

10:15-12:15 a.m.

News—Baxter Ward ..........

.KCOP

KTTV

Tow Duggan...

.KCOP

4.3

Million Viewer Theatre*

54

6.4

3.2

21.3

Welk’s Top Tunes..

,KABC

Mon. March 4

Big News....

.KNXT

10:15-12:00 am.

Roller Derby..

•KTLA

. 5.2

KTTV

Three Hour Theatre

5.4

6.4

4.4

10.7

Air Power...

KNXT

Sun. March 3

Lassie.*.

.KNXT

6:00-7:30 p.m.

KTTV

Private Secretary.

.KNXT

..21.1

Million Viewer Theatre

5.1

5.9

4.2

35.2

Juke Box Jury..

.KRCA

Fr|. March 1

News—Jack Latham.«...

.KRCA

10:45-1:00 am.

.Toni Duggan...........

.KCOP

KTTV

Big Hit Movies..

.KNXT

Three Hour Theatre

4.1

4.4

3.9

3.1

What’s My Line...

KNXT

Sun. March 3

Ed Sullivan.....

.KNXT

.. 25.4

7:30-9:00 p,m.

KTTV

Monday Premiere

4.1

4.2-'*

£9

6.2

Studio One .. .

.KNXT .

...>.21.1

Mon. March 4

Burns Sc Allen.

.KNXT .

........21.1

7:30-9:00 p.m.

Life of Riley.

.KTTV .

,..4-.... 20.3

KTLA

7:30 Theatre

3.8

. 4-2

3.7

8.4 x

Do. You Trust Your Wife.

KNXT ,

. 33.4

Tues. March 5

Phil Silvers.

.KNXT .

.. 23.4

7:30-9:00 pm.

Wyatt Earp . .

KABC .

KTTV

Phi la del p hia

I. DRAGONWYCK—

.Gene Tierney, Vincent
Price; 1946; 20th Century
Fox; NTA

3. RINGS ON HER FINGERS—

Gene Tierney, Henry
Fonda; 1942; 20th Century
Fox; NTA

J. COMMAND DECISION—

Clark Gable, Van Johnson;

1948; MGM; MGM-TV

4 . LADY IN THE LAKE— .

Robert Montgomery, Audrey
Totter, Jayne Meadows;

1947; MGM; MGJVf-TV

5. THE SHOPWORN ANGEL—
Margaret Sullivan, James
Stewart; 1938; tyGM; MGM-TV

6. WESTERN UNION—

Robert Young, Randolph
Scott; 1941; 20th Century
Fox; NTA

7. COUNTER-ATTACK—

Paul Muni, Larry Parks; 1945;
Columbia; Screen Gems'

8. FURY—

Spencer Tracy, Sylvia Sidney;

1936; MGM; MGM-TV

t. YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH—

Rita Hayworth, Fred Astaire;

1941; Columbia; Screen Gems

10. SONG OF THE THIN MAN—
William Powell, Myrna' Loy;

1946; MGM; MGM-TV

World's Best Movies
Sun. March 3
2:00-4:00 p.m.

WFIL

Ford Film Playhouse
Sat. March 2
10:30-12:00 a.m.

WFIL

Stage.“S”

Tues. March 5
10:45-12:15 a.m.

WFIL

World’s Best Movies
Fri. March 1
. 10:45-12:30 a.m.

WFIL

World's Best Movies
Sat. March 2
7:30-9:00 p.m.

WFIL

World's Best Movies
Mon. March. 4
10:45-12:30 a.m.

WFIL

Million Dollar Matinee
Fri. March 1
5:00-6:30 pm.

WCAU

World’s Best Movies
Thurs. March 7
10:45-12:30 a.m.

WFIL

Million Dollar Matinee
Wed. March 6
5:00-6:30 p.m.

WCAU

World's Best Movies
Sun. March 3
11:15-12:45 a.m.

WFIL

21.4 22.2

20.0 21.2

18.2 19.8

15.2 18.1

13.1 13.5

11.3 13.3

9.8 10.4

8.8 10.8

8.2 8.7

7.7 8.2

20.7

72.8

Command Performance ......

Is It Deductible .♦.,

Zoo Parade ..,

..WCAU .
..WCAU .
. .WRCV .

16.1

46.4

Your Hit Parade ..

News; Sports. ... .

Movie Three.

. .WRCV ,
...WCAU .
..WRCV .

14.9

59.6^

Golden Playhouse...........

News; Weather. .

Sports Final; Movie.. .

Millidn Dollar Movie........

..WCAU .
..WCAU .
..WCAU .
..WCAU .

. 12.3

.13.7

10.4

44.6

Person to Person ...

News; Weather .

Sports Final; Movie .

Million Dollar Movie ........

..WCAU .
..WCAU .
..WCAU ,.
..WCAU .

12.5

18.9 \

People Are Funny. .. .......

Perry Como .

Jackie Gleason ..

..WRCV .
..WRCV .
..WCAU .

..♦,...24.6

. 32.4

6.3

44.4

^ Studio One .

. News; Weather ...

Sports Final; Movie .

Million Dollar Movie ...

..WCAU .
..WCAU .
i .WCAU .
..WCAU .

. 24.8

....... 16.4

9.4

23.9

Mickey Mpuse Club ..

Amos 'n' Andy .

..WFIL ..
..WRCV .

...*..252
.. .13.1

5.1

35.6

Playhouse 90. ... .

News; Weather..

Sports Final; Movie.. .

Million Dollar Movie .

..WCAU .
..WCAU .
..WCAU .
..WCAU .

....... 8.4

7.7

21.4

Mickey Mouse Club ..

Starr,, Theatre .

Amos ’n’ Andy; Detective. ..,

..WFIL ..
..WFIL ..
..WRCV .

25.0

13.0

........ 14.0

7.2

64.1

Main About Town ..

Mystery Theatre .

...WCAU .
..WCAU .

. -2.3

MULTI-STRIPPED SALES

LOS ANGELES

, TOTAL
RATINGS OF

TOTAL

AVERAGE
RATING PER

'"n.

HIGHEST
RATING PER

TITLE AND OTHER DATA

STATION

SHOW

ALL SHOWINGS

SHOWINGS

SHOWING

SHOWING

March 1-4—BERLIN EXPRESS—

Metle Oberon; Robert Ryan;

1948; RKO; RKO Teleradio

KHJ

Channel 9.

Movie Theatre

24.9

7

3.6

11.3

Tues. March 9
9:00-10.45 p.m.

March 5-6—THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE— a

Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young;

1945; RKO; RKO Teleradio

Wednoday, May 1, 1957

J/Knitlcr

43

Any advertiser should rest content when he knows that practically
everyone else in town is watching his program. Just recently,
1,650,720 viewers stayed up to watch a movie from 11:15 P. M. all
the way through, to 1:15 A. M., over one channel in a single
market. That was the average audience for the entir'e showing of
the Warner Bros, feature, '"Action in the North Atlantic,” on
wcBS/rv in New York on a Friday night in February.

The strong appeal of big-time Warner Bros, features distributed
by A.A. Elis.keeping audiences up hours longer^-giving stations
extra valuable time to sell to advertisers in the wee small.hours.

- When you want to give

advertisers a chance
to convert sleeping
hours .into selling
• hours, write or phone

345 Madison Avenue , New York City
' ■ MUrray Hill 6-232$

44

RADIO-TELE VISION

PSrie’ty

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Abrahams, Granada-TV

'' ■ - - ■-■ Continued from page 27 11 ■ .-

lands,” “The Flying Yorkshire-
man” or the group of excerpts
from Irish plays which featured
Siobnan McKenna on “Omnibus”
this past season. Bernsteins are
working out rights arrangements.
Lumet, Nelson and Medford
haven’t decided on properties yet,
but will go over, in addition, Abra¬
hams, who helped set up the
writers’ workshop of the Academy
of Television Arts & Science, in
N. Y., will approach the member¬
ship with another Granada pro¬
posal, a series of half-hour experi¬
mental workshop' shows which
would require offbeat scripts in
which the ATAS workshop mem¬
bers might be interested.

‘Working for Long Puli’

The idea for the exchange came
to fruition only a couple of weeks
afbj when Abrahams was in Lon¬
don rehearsing the Royal Ballet
for the “Showcase” stint. Bern¬
steins called, him and got into a
discussion of Granada’s operating
philosophy and its immediate and
longrange needs. Abrahams de¬
scribes this operating philosophy
as a desire for overall quality.
“They don’t worry about huge
profits or huge ratings immediate¬
ly. They are, working for the long
pull, and they believe that if they
can build up a Quality schedule in
toto, the individual ratings ulti-
'mately 'will take care of them¬
selves. They talk about television
the way some of us wish our tele¬
vision executives would talk.”

Because of this emphasis on
quality, Abrahams observes, “Gra¬
nada is not concerned with the ta¬
bus that normally rule American
tv. No agency or client can control
their program content the way
agencies and clients can in the
U. S. because of the way British
commercial tv is set up, -and so
they are not concerned witli any¬
thing beyond' the bounds of good
taste. Naturally, the more serious
dramas are programed during the
later hours when the children are
jn bed. But as an example of their
freedom in programming choice,
they signed for British rights to
Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Sales¬
man” and also recently did Miller’s
adaptation of Ibsen’s “An Enemy
of the People.” They are also go¬
ing to do “The Respectful Prosti¬
tute."

This is one of the keys to the
willingness of American creative

personnel to travel J;o England to
do the'shows. The properties and
treatments themselves “are close to
their hearts,” says Abrahams, and
represent shows they’ve always
wanted to do. Visit involves no
reimbursement other than ex¬
penses for the Americans. Actual
dates aren’t set yet for the Ameri¬
can visits, pending finalization of
the detail work like securing of
visas, work permits, etc. - '

While thus far only one-way traf¬
fic has been set in motion, Abra¬
hams. emphasizes this will be a
two-way exchange, with the Brit-
ain-to-U. S. flow to start after the
American visits get -going. The
Britain-to-U. S. represents a more
difficult problem, since Abrahams
would have to contact all the net¬
works and various program pro¬
ducers to work outjieals, while at
the other end he’s dealing with
only a single source, Granada. “I'm
convinced that the English direc¬
tors can teach us a thing or two,”
Abrahams states, and once the
traffic starts flowing, he’ll get to
work on the other direction..

Coin-Happy

Continue;! from page 37

slots. Monday at 9 and 9:30 and
Friday at 8 and 8:30, with no shows
set yet for any of those time
periods, even though GF has got
the shows on hand.

Procter & Gamble is sitting out
its alternate-sponsor' decision- on
Monday at 9 at CBS until GF makes
up its mind what show will go in.

Wildroot ordered Saturdays ai
10.30 on CBS-TV, then withdrew
and is looking elsewhere. In this
case, it • 'has a show, “New York
Confidential,” however.

Pillsbury almost went for a mul r
ti-shbw deal at NBC-TV, including
“Life of Riley,” Perry Como and
daytime, then changed its mind and
decided to stay with CBS and “The
Big Record.”

Sylvania can’t make up its mind
about a show and'time slot on CBS
for next fall, though it’s decided
it wants an alternate-week half-
hour.

^Ronson has been shopping for a
sfiow since the first of the year,
still hasn’t found one.

Alcoa and Goodyear signed for
the Monday 9:30 period on NBC a
couple of months ago, still haven’t
picked a program.

NBC’s.Friday schedule is still up
in the air becadse Campbell Soups

and Pall Mall haven’t decided
what’s to go into their respective
9 and 9:30 periods.

L&M is still uncertain about
Tuesdays at 10:30 next fall be¬
cause it hasn’t made up its mind
on the current Spike Jones stanza.
Cigaret company and Max Factor
haven’t picked a “Panic” replace¬
ment for Saturdays at 9 on NBC
either.

American Tobacco still isn’t set
with a show for Jack Benny in the
fall.

There’s lots more, and to quote
one sales veteran, CBS-TV veep
Tom Dawson; “I’ve never seen such
indecision. Either everything falls
into place with a snap, or it drags
out interminably. The networks
and the agencies and the sponsots
can’t agree, and nobody can move..”-
Nonetheless, Dawson and his col¬
leagues' are pleasantly surprised at
the “amazing” number of advertis¬
ers who are eager to get into the
medium next fall; There’s been
more than one case where CBS has
had an overabundance of .clients
clamoring to get into particular
shows, and the general situation is
such that the web has more pros¬
pects right now than it has avail¬
abilities.

ATAS

- — ■ Continued from page 37

ington, boss John Hayes. The new
England body is being set up, by
Westinghouse Broadcasting v.p.
Dick'Pack.

Right now, eligible industryites,
such as newsmen covering televi¬
sion for out-of-towli papers, can
enroll in the N. Y. Chapter, but
eventually would shift to their lo¬
cal bodies as they are formed. The
new membership rules also make
eligible as associate members sev¬
eral classifications heretofore ig¬
nored. These include attorneys,
personal managers and agents, pro¬
gram assistants, secretaries, pages
and guides, tv receiver & facilities
manufacturers and researchers and
educators. The regular mem¬
bership eligibility for publicists,
newspapermen and * advertising-
promotion people was made pos¬
sible by action of the Board of
Governors in changing their clas¬
sification to that of writers, en¬
titling them to full membership.
Action took the form of a direc¬
tive to the membership committee
notifying it o£ such reclassification.

Coronet Fairy Tales Inc. has
been authorized to conduct an en¬
tertainment business in New York.
Capital stock is 1,000 shares, no
par value. Henry Jaffe was filing
attorney at Albany.

Inside Stuff—Radio-TV

Esso Standard Oil Co. became the first four-time winner of the Al¬
fred P. Sloan radio-tv award, tendered last night (30), honoring the 12
broadcasting organizations and advertisers for exceptional service to
highway safety during 1956.

A special award was made to the Armed Forces Radio-Ty Service
for promoting traffic safety among American military and civilian
personnel at installations around the world.

Sloan, prez of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and former chairman
of General Motors, presented bronze plaques to the winners who, in
addition to Esso and the Armed Forces were:

Television * stations WWJ-TV, Detroit, and WTTW, Chicago, the
latter operated noncommercially by the Chicago Educational TV
Assns. -

Radio stations WLW» Cincinnati; KSEL, Lubbock, Tex.; and WKAR,
a noncommercial station operated by the Michigan State U. /

Commercial sponsors: R. J. Reynolds .Tobacco, Sinclair Refining,
Montgomery-Stubbs Motors, Silver Springs, Md.; Hardware Mutuals,
Stevens Point, Wis.; and Hedges Oil Co., Albuquerque, N. M.

Walter Winchell Is dropping his $7,000,000 suit against ABC as a
result of the web’s purchase of the new “Walter Winchell File” vidpix
series out of the Desilu Productions stable. Show, set for the Thurs¬
day night 10 to 10:30 period in the fall, covers Winchell’s exploits as a
newsman and stories which he covered..

Suit, filed in September of 1955, charged breach of contract.. Win¬
chell claimed he volunteered*to bp ^released from his longterm con¬
tract as a result of “misinformation” supplied him by then prez
Kintner on the status of his libel insurance coverage at the network.
In the interim, an, interesting shuffle has taken place—Winchell went
to NBC to do a Friday night series last fall; just as the series went
off the air, Kintner, previously forced out of ABC, joined NBC as
exec v.p. ’over^programs Sc sales; and finally, Winchell is returning
to ABC with Kintfier no longer there.

During 1956, a tot^J'Of $46,806,000 was spent in ID’s on television.
This investment amounted to 11.8% of the total $397,606,000 spent in
spot television during 1956, according to the Television. Bureau of
.Advertising.

TvB, in making its research figures available, tabulated a list of 155
companies which.spent $50,000 or more in ID’s in 1956, along with
the list of brands that went to make up their ID expenditures.

A new education project, aimed at*finding and sponsoring college
graduates with a capacity for leadership, has been launched by the
Edward John Noble Foundation, whose founder Edward John Noble is
a direcor and chairman of the finance committee of the American
Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres.

The foundation will make grants of $2,000 per year to selected col¬
lege graduates who are found to have, leadership potential and Who
wish to pursue their studies further in graduate school.

Those inter-network crossplugs are moving again, .latest being the re¬
cording of the CBS-TV “Playhouse 90” theme music by RCA Victor
on a single record- While Columbia Records and RCA have recorded
rival webs’ properties before, particularly as they relate to original
cast albums of musical spectaculars, this is believed the first time a rival
network’s regular program theme music is being waxed.

Title of the theme bears the show’s naftie. It’s Alec North’s “Theme
from Playhouse 90. 7 ’ To add Insult to injury, CBS Press Information
may seht out copies of the disk as a CBS promotion piece.

Mrs. Marie Natvig, the tempestuous turnabout witness at FCC hear¬
ings, two years ago on Commie charges against Broadcaster Edward O.
Lamb, will not have to serve an eight-months jail sentence for perjury.
A Federal judge Monday (29) suspended sentence and placed her on
probation for two years. ,

Two transcriptions containing orchestrated jingles emphasizing the
benefits the public received from radio have been distributed, gratis,
to the more than 850 radio stations belonging to the Radio Advertis¬
ing Bureau-for their use during National Radio Week, which begins
Sunday (5).

In further promotion of the week’s observance, RAB prez Kevin B.
Sweeney, v.p. and general manager, John F. Hardesty, and v.p. Sherril
Taylor will make a series of addresses to advertising and business
clubs from coast to coast.

Zenith Radio Corp. estimated net consolidated profits for the first
three months of this year at $1,650,590 or $3.35 a common share, only
slightly below the &me period last year. Sales for the 1957 quarter
amounted to $36,658,510. *

In 1956, for the same period, consolidated profits were $1^831,165
or $3.72 per share, and sales were $37,915,318.

Ford Motor

Continued from page 33 ^

other half of the sponsorship pic¬
ture, NBC and MCA-Revenue Pro¬
ductions haven’t yet come up with
a producer for the 22 live segments
out of N. Y. Alfred* Hitchcock, of
course, is due to produce 10 films,
as is Revue, but MCA, which, will
handle the live shows* hasn’t yet
picked a production staff.*..

Understood Mort Abrahams, cur¬
rently exec producer- of Showcase
Productions and formerly MCA’s
exec producer on “General Elec¬
tric Theatre,” is the prime can¬
didate. Major factor holding, up
the deal is that Abrahams is much
in demand, With a CBS-TV deal
also- under negotiation. Meanwhile,
Abrahams has to finish the “Pro¬
ducers’ Showcase” season as ekec
producer on the spec series.

Richfield Oil Show

Seattle, April 30.

Richfield, Oil Co. has set a 52-
week, series of half-hour live re¬
mote programs on KING.-TV here,
with first one to air May 7. Show
is called “Success Story.”

Ed Arndt, manager of local of¬
fice for Hixson Jorgensen ad agen¬
cy, will produce the programs,
with Scott Easton narrating. Car-
roll Ellerbe will direct for the sta¬
tion.

Opening program will be a four-
camera pickup from Seattle’s Chil¬
dren’s Orthopedic Hospital.

Hollywood — Sara Boynoff, of
former L. A. Daily News, and
Rod Voigt, ex-CBS Radio publicist,
have joined local CBS Radio news
staff as editors.

Bucks County Retreat

3 bedrooms, 'largo living room with
fireplace. Modern bath, dining-kitch¬
en with all molor appliances. Air
conditioned year round. Garage and
studio. Artesian well (100 gal. per
min.). Near churches, schools and
shopping. 59 ACRES, LOW TAXES.
$37,500, OPEN TO OFFER, EASY
TERMS.

GEORGE G. KAFF

256 Springfield Avenue,
Summit, N.'J.

Harmon-Commufing

Luxurious Estate on Hudson

Perfectly maintained. Brick Southern
Colonial; 12 rooms, 5 baths, 2 maids'
rms. Swimming pool A cabana, bar;
tennis court; 15 breath-taking acres
overlooking ma|estic Hudson River.
Will sell; or rent to right person.
PRIVATELY OWNED

LA 4-2036, Miss Schein;
or your broker.

ONKVIRY CHANNILV

BROOKS

COSTUMES

3 W.il M.t SI., NJr.C.-T*l. fL r-JIOO

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PtiBtlEFr

45

CORIN

TH

KO'

. H. Whitney & Co. announces the
formation of the Corinthian Broad¬
casting Corporation to coordinate the
management policies of its stations:

Tulsa has more viewers
in the rich Tulsa market than all other
stations combined,.

Galveston Serving
Houston now leads all other stations
in the Houston area ARB and is the
only station delivering city-grade sig¬
nal in both-Houston and Galveston.

now leads in the
billion dollar all-UHF Fort Wayne
market.

'TV Indianapolis has more
viewers in Indianapolis than all other
stations combined.

Indianapolis
Fort Wayne

All are CBS Affiliates.

I N BROADCASTING COtpd

i • . if i i

630 Fifth Avenue, New York 20, N. Y,

’ Galveston serving Houston • WANE & WANE-TV Fort Wayne • WISHjj

Responsibility in Broadcasting

1

IsyisH-'

i

46

RADIO-TELEVISION

PfiniEfr

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Hayes, Mickelson Chide Educators;
Churchmen on TV-AM, Responsibility

Two CBS executive?- chided two
groups of radio-tv’s s^y^est priticg
last week for their h'wB?|%t:k of re¬
sponsibility to the brb^^|i|^jn.edia'.
The execs were CBS’- ; ^.®i6': ; >re^
Arthur Hull Hayes, addressing the
7,000 delegates to the National
Catholic Educational Assn, conven¬
tion in Milwaukee, Friday (26), and
CBS news & public taffairs v.p.
Sig Mickelson, speaking in Frank¬
furt, Germany, Sunday (28) before
the World Conference on Christian.
Radio-Television.

Hayes told the teachers’ group
that "the educator has as much re¬
sponsibility to the mass media, as
the purveyors of mass corrimunica-
tions have to you.” He said that
educators have failed to take ad-
ventage of the cultural and edu¬
cational offerings of radio and the
press and that the principal rea¬
son, radio continues to program
them is "our sense of responsi¬
bility, because we put these pro¬
grams on the air even when many
of you do not listen.”

He warned the educator? that
“what will be on the air or in the
press four or five years ffom now
depends, in large measure, on you
and the students whom you are
-training,” pointing out that "if you
or your students do not listen” to
the educational arid cultural pro¬
grams now being broadcast,- "they
must inevitably go off the; air.”. As
an example of the educators’ fail¬
ure to take advantage of radio’s
offerings, Hayes asked them: "Do
you listen to symphonies? Do you
discuss them in the classroom? If
the N. Y. Philharmonic Symphony
came to your city, certainly you
would urge your students to at¬
tend* the concert. Yet, your stu¬
dents—all' of them—can hear the
Philharmonic every week over the
radio . . .Yet, how many of you
are encouraging this kind of activ¬
ity on the part of your students?”

Mickelson told the churchmen
"that- they'as well as the broad¬
casters must do their part in con¬
tributing to successful religious
programming. “Churches, in
America at least, should realize
more than they appear to realize
that the structure of competitive
programming, which lies at" the
heart of the American free-enter¬
prise system of competitive broad¬
casting, has been the major factor
in creating those enormous* radio
and television audiences they want
to reach. Consequently, I should
hope that religious leaders would
want to support this structure
rather than lend support to atti¬
tudes inimical to it.

"And «they should understand,
more than they seem to understand,
the requirements of the system. Yet
they will often propose and
strenuously support programming
policies which if followed very
far would destroy that large audi¬
ence which is now available to
them.”

Hollywood—Ray Lukshis, who
recently joined KTLA as an exec
producer, has been named to new

S ost of program director and Hal
lasbach, administrative assistant,
becomes program supervisor, in a
anization of the station’s program¬
ming staff. KTLA topper Lew
Arnold disclosed the promotion of
Gene Karaganies. with station
since 1949, as assistant: production
supervisor. . • •

T0 J01N CBS RADIO

Louis J7 Riggio has resigned aS
a partner in the Hilton & Riggio
agency, which he formed seven
years -ago after 12 years as as¬
sistant to the late George Wash¬
ington Hill at American Tobacco
Co., and is joining CBS Radio as a
special sales development con¬
sultant.

Riggio’s specialty at the web will
be to call’ directly on top clients,
with the emphasis on radio’s new
efficiency. Idea is to acquaint them
with facts on the medium which
they’ve missed, either through ab¬
sorption with television, failure of
their agencies to keep them in-=
formed or just past indifference.

CBS-TV Files Union .
Charges in Aftermath
Of Tony Awards Lfipoff

Charges 1 of unfair labor practices
were filed with the National Labor
Relations Board by CBS last, week
against one of the two ^unions in¬
volved ’in the hassle that resulted
in cancellation of the April 21
Tony Awards' ceremony on* WCBS-
TV, the web’s N. Y. flagship.
Charges were leveled at Local
1212 of the IBEW, which had re¬
fused to telecast the awards cere¬
mony because WCBS-TV had
called in IATSE Local 1 elec¬
tricians to light the show.

In filing charges, the network
hopes to get a ruling on the issue
of remote lighting from the quasi-
judicial body which can then be
backed up in court. Such a ruling,
CBS hopjes, would assign respon¬
sibility for remote lighting to one
or the other unions in the absence
of specific contractual delegation
of the job, and thi£ ruling would
then apply in all remotes until
such time as one or the other
union succeeded in winning its
point in a contract negotiations.'

At the moment, responsibility
for remote lighting (lighting of an
event, not emanating from a studio
or theatre) is not spelled out in
any contract and has been a bone
of contention between IATSE Lo¬
cal 1, the stagehands’ union, and
IBEW Local 1212, the camera¬
mens’ and technicians’’ union.
CBS, in observing a' rule-of-thumb
under which remotes using props
or sets to "dress up” the action,
assigned IATSE electricians, and
the IBEW men refused to work on
the show. Meanwhile, Pepsi-Cola,
which had contracted to sponsor
the. event on WCBS-TV and had
also coritracted to pay the Ameri¬
can Theatre Wing a $5,000 rights
fee, is considering legal action
against CBS.

Suit was filed against IBEW be¬
cause CBS had called in the IA
men and consequently couldn’t ac¬
cuse them of an unfair labor prac¬
tice in this instance. Length of
time from filing Of charges to
start of hearings vary, but CBS
labor relations v.p. William Fitts
Jr. said the web is doing every¬
thing possible to expedite a hear¬
ing.

CBS-TV Gets N. 0. Affil

GBS-TV has finally gotten a ba¬
sic affiliate in New Orleans via
♦WWL-TV,- the new Channel 4'Op¬
eration owned by Loyola U. of New
Orleans. CBS 1 shows had been car¬
ried by WDSU-TV, the NBC basic
there uritilifiTOw, since it was a one-
. station >:■; • WDSU-TV

.henbefdictjft:sblo with NBC ex-
:dfepl; f or ’ sorbe .^BC pickups.

. Slim Summerville, who’s been
general manager of WWL, ' :he
Loyola radio outlet, takes over the
new tv’er as well. WWL has been
a CBS Radio basic for some years.

'Giant Step’ Axed By
Gen. Mills; ‘Flicka’ To
Ride as a Sustainer

General Mills has finally brought
the axe down on "Giant Step,” and
the kiddie quizzer will depart CBS-
TV after the show of May 22.’ Mov¬
ing into the Wednesday 7:30 spot
for the summer will be “My Friend
Flicka” as a sustaining entry
through $ept. 11, when* the "I Love
Lucy” repeats take over the time.

The "Flicka” mov'eover from its
Sunday at 6 position will occasion
some reshuffling of the web’s pub¬
lic service schedule for the sum¬
mer;- "The Last Word” moves into
the 6 p.m. time immediately on May
26. Starting June 16, ’’Face the Na¬
tion”; and "World News Roundup”
move into the 5 to 6 period’, with
no network service before 5 dur¬
ing the summer. Between May *26
and June 16, "Odyssey” will fill 5
to 6 gap, but its last show of the
season will be on June 9.

Shaffner Joining

Durgin at NBC-TV

Dean Shaffner, only recently
upped to v.p. status at ABC Radio,
is leaving that web to join NBC-
TV 'as director of sales planning
under v.p. Don Durgin, his old
ABC Radio boss. The Shaffner
moveover is the latest in a series
of NBC "raids” by exec v.p. Bob
Kintner for his old proteges at
ABC.

Shaffner, who was v.p. over sales
development and research at ABC
Radio, reports directly to Durgin at
NBC-TV. Latter is v.p. in charge
of the new sales planning opera¬
tion at the web who was brought
in by Kintner only a couple of
months ago.

The Shaffner move points up
ABC’s former role under Kintner
as -a spawning-ground fOr the
"bright young men” of the indus¬
try, .particularly out of the re¬
search-sales development bailiwick.
Of the seven-man department
headed by ABC television veep
Ollie Treyz when he was ABC re¬
search-sales development director
back in 1953, the lineup now reads:
Treyz," founder of Television .Bu¬
reau of Advertising and now head
man at ABC-TV; Gene Accas, now
an ABC-TV veep-at-large; Durgin,
formerly v.p. in charge Of ABC
Radio until he moved to NBC-TV;
George .Huntington, now a veep at
TvB; Don Cdyle, still on the home-
grounds as. research-sales. develop¬
ment boss for ABC-TV; Bert Bril-
ler, ' ex«V ariety and manager of
sales development at ABC, and
Shaffner, NBC-TV as of May 20.

Era of Egghead

Continued from page; 26 -

talent. Same holds for Baum and
Mayer, he added. ♦.

The quiz, he said, has become
a prime auditioning ground for
fresh talent for all phases of show
biz. He said the industry has
taken to "scouting” the show, be¬
cause it knows video of itself is
quick to expose frauds anti the
talentless under a merciless cam¬
era and it acknowledge? that the
elaborate screening process for
"Twenty-one” has disclosed some,
of the most promising unknowns
in years. Mrs. Nearing, Van DOren
and Bloomgarden, he submitted as
further proof, have been recog¬
nized by public and press as like¬
able and intelligent individuals
whose flexibility, knowhow and
charm credit them as "natural per¬
formers.”

Freedman, who produces for
Barry & Enright, said that 250 per¬
sons are interviewed and -tested
weekly for the stanzas. The em¬
phasis is not on genius in a single
area of knowledge ("that would be
freakish”)! but on an above-aver¬
age general fund of information
and on winning personality." Two
"Twenty-one” staffers do nothing
but call by phone clubs, organiza¬
tions, companies or whatever"
source might turn, up potential con¬
testants. Another two query the;
250 -when' -they have once been
brought to New York. Twentyfive
or' so get past' initial testing and
interviewing and are qualified for
a daytime Barry-Enright quiz, "Tic
Tac Dough.” Freedman said may¬
be five to eight a week qualify for
"Twenty-one,” after more compre¬
hensive quizzing and a final screen¬
ing by him. The choosing takes
most of his time, he added.

The producer said that in the 30
weeks the show has been on the
air, NBC on Mondays, some 7,500
have gone through the "Twenty-
one” mill. He felt there are plen¬
ty more topnotch contestants in
the United States, but the show
nonetheless is going to start
screening Western Europeans, in
line with the beginning of both
B-E packages in London this sum¬
mer? Freedman indicated the pos¬
sibility that one or both of the
shows will become video features,
in Belgium and France later on. ,

Chi Tribune

Continued from page 26

strate we can live better by the tv
and radio codes than we did with¬
out them,” Quaal stated.

He also confirmed he has had in¬
formal discussions with Sylvester
(Pat) Weaver regarding the latter’s
projected Program Service. He
stressed no commitments have
been made with Weaver as to
WGN-TV serving as the Windy
City outlet.. However, he pointed
out the station was interested in
"all soufees of good programming,
both live and film,” and indicated’
that if Wedver tied down Dr. Fran-,
ces Horwich and her "Ding Dong
School” he would very likely clear
time for the pre-school display at
9 a.m.

WGN-TV already is the Chi an¬
chor for the National Telefilm Net¬
work which- premiered April 3.
Debut feature,. ipcidently, grabbed
off an average rating of 12.1 in its
Wednesday night slot, up from a
previous high of 4.0 for the time
period.

‘Whipping Boy’

1 Continued from page 27 ——,

the latter have long since thrown
up their hands in trying to cope,
with it.

And if there Were any you-still-
gotta-prove-it-to-me boys circulat¬
ing the ANPA meet, a reprise qf
the “Detroit story” clinched mat¬
ters once and for all.’ Incident con¬
cerned the recent Detroit newspa¬
per strike, which left.the city to-,
fally bereft of daily tv logs. Ap¬
parently ’ that’s what the public
missed most. An enterprising Po¬
lish weekly came out with an
English listing of the Detroit tv
logs. Circulation overnight wept
from 30,000 to 200,000. <•

• Hartford—Charles Bell, station
manager of Station WHAY in
neighboring New Britain, has been
named ptexy of the Connecticut
Broadcasters Assn. Other officers
include Julian, Schwartz of WSTC,
Stamford, v.p.; and William J.
O’Brien of; WCNX f Middletown,
secretary-treasurer.

No Sponsor Problem
On 'Big Record’ With
2 Down and 2 to Go

Wednesday night picture for
CBS-TV. is just about firmed up
insofar as. the web’s 8 to 9 period is
concerned. Network has already
signed two sponsors for "The Big
Record,” which is replacing Ar¬
thur Godfrey’s ^Eriends” show in
the fall; and is awaiting decisions
from the two. other Godfrey bank-
rollers. *’

In the house already are Pills-
bury arid Kellogg. Still to be heard
from' with final, decisions are Bris¬
tol-Myers ---and American Home
Products. Both have shown lively
interest in program. Final deci¬
sions are due in about a' week. If
one of them should decide not to
go w'-th the stanza, Singer Sewing
Machines has indicated it-would
like an alternate-week half-hour of
the time, though it hasn’t seen the
show. yet. Beyond that, according
to sales v.p. Tom Dawson, there are
six other advertisers who’ve indi¬
cated they’d like a piece of the
show.

Pillsbury deal is particularly sat¬
isfying to CBS since thf! flour outfit
had been dickering, with NBC to
move its billings-there via purchase
of alternate weeks of "Life of
Riley,” a ; sixth of perry Cftmo and
four daytime quarter-hours. The
NBC deal, has fallen through, how¬
ever, and Pillsbury will keep all
its coin at Columbia, reshuffling
and consolidating Its daytime line¬
up and possibly adding to it as
well.

TV Gom’Is

■ Continued from page 1 —

viewer gets five hours and eight
minutes of commercials thrown at
him each week. Is it any wonder
that one-third of' our audience
walks out when the commercial
goes on?” he queried. The ob¬
vious solution, he added, is to avoid
the "obvious” in presentations and
to try to-make commercials more
visually exciting.

In another address, Charles L.
Whittier, former chairman of the
plans board at Young & Rubicam,
called for more realistiq, informa¬
tive ads. He attacked copy and pic¬
torial displays where children take
a keen delight in doing the dishes;
where wbmen don formal gotvns to
vjsit an auto showroom; where a
millionaire’s son envies the boy
whose father uses Aerosol.

Whitman Hobbs, of • BBD&O,
warned in his address that the vol¬
ume of advertising tpday is ( stag¬
gering. . "We’re overcommunicat¬
ing, and if an advertiser isn't imag¬
inative, inventive, interesting, orig¬
inal—if his advertising hasn’t a
strong personality of its own—if
the , image: isn’t in sharp focus-
how can he hope to stgnd out from
the confusion and the crowd?”

Organizationally, the newly elect¬
ed 4-A board elected the following
four officers and three directors-at-
large a to* serve as the operations
committee of t^ie board for the
coming year:

Chairmann, Melvin Brorby
senior v.p. of Needham, Louis
Brorby; vice-chairman, J. Davis
Danforth, exec v.p. of BBD&O;
secretary-treasurer, Ross H. Ryder,
pre^ of Ryder & Ohleyer; presi¬
dent, Frederic R. Gamble.

• Also, Joseph E. Epstein, v.p., and
treasurer of Fitzgerald' Advertis¬
ing; Robert M. Ganger, chairman
of bdard D’Arcy; Arthur E. Tatham,
chairman of board of Ta.tham-
Laird.

Interested in

The V e r y
best deal on a new

THUNDERBIRD

FORD

Call or write SAM ANGER-

(brother of Harry Anger, G.A.C.)

LYnbrook 9-0600
TED ROWLAND, Inc
Lynbrook. Long Island, N. Y.
Delivery Anywhere in the US..

OFFICE SPACE

(SUBLET)

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Indefthlt* Poripil. $125.00 per Month.
Phono JRyant 9-590* .

Betw««n 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. Dally.

48

RADIO-TELEVISION

Wednesday, May I, 1957

Z'AkIETY

Tele Followups

2 Continued from page 41

osophy in which nothing is ever
lost. There’s a hereafter and rein¬
carnation. He spoke of his deliv¬
ery of his eulogies that have made
him known as “the rabbi” of the
entertainment'world. Indeed some
of the eulogies that made him one
of the most sought after sender-
offers, seemed, to have' captured
the essence of the departed indiv¬
iduals and their impact upon
society.

In all Jessel revealed himself to
be a well-rounded and wordly gen¬
tleman, with a lot of introspection
and a great deal of compassion for
virtually everything but the rating
systems used in television, Jose,

Press Conference j

With its bow in a new time slot
(Mon. 9 p.m-), Martha Rountree's
"Press Conference” on ABC-TV
has come ,of age. After almost 10
months of trial and error, since its
debut last July 4, it shapes as a
top drawer show, combining best!
features of standard news panel
shows with those of a bonafide
press Conference.

Show, which formerly sometimes i
bogged down in its lineup., of a
dozen reporters, now has pac£, pat¬
tern and polish. Present format
offers two distinct parts—first,
once around panel for intensive,
probing interrogation. Here, the
early hedge-hopping which some¬
times marred the continuity has
given way to teamwork, each pan¬

elist developing his own line and
tossing leads for his colleagues to
follow. Use of eight to nine “reg¬
ulars,” accustomed to working to¬
gether, helps in this respect.

Final segment, about seven-nine
minutes, consists of rapid-fire sin¬
gle questions, so worded that guest
has small choice but to answer in
kind—briefly and quickly. At show
caught, Sen. Barry Goldwater <R.,
Ariz.) seemed thrown by the ma¬
chine gun pace, but made a fast
recover for a satisfactory,, if not
convincing, job of batting back the
verbal ball.

Questioning is now tougher and
harder—another factor contribut¬
ing to audience appeal. It is to
Goldwater’s' credit that, although
he was figuratively bloodied, he
emerged literally unbowed from
the barrage,

Miss Rountree has improved in
poise and skill. Her greatest
strength lies in control of panel—
another step in right direction.

Corn Products, which has just
renewed as alternate sponsor, has
switched from straight institu¬
tional' to product advertisings Com¬
mercials, slotted before and after
press interview, are in good taste
and do not interrupt continuity.
Show is said to have a second
sponsor virtually lined, up. Flor. .

Foreign TV Reviews

^ Continued from page 41 .

side of the. water had heard or
seen this blues singer with a bass
voice, but his two renderings; “Put
Your Hand In The Hand Of The
Lord,” and “It Was A Woman,”
brought the biggest hand of the
show from the live studio audience.
He was perfectly at.ease before the
cameras, and sold his songs with
the minimum of effort. He was the
brightest spot of the program.

Stodgy camera work, unimagina¬
tive sets and slow production, put
the rest of the show into the run-
of-the-mill class, with only colbred
singer Isobel Lucas, singing ex¬
cerpts from “Carmen Jones,” lift¬
ing it out of the rut. The Billy
Ternent band supplied some good
accompaniments. Bary.

I'nwMi

Selling products is an upstream
battle in today's competitive
market. It takes power to make
headway . . . ,to channel adver¬
tising skillfully over shoals and
ihto homes of receptive prospects,

WSAZ-TV can do this for you
in the rich Ohio River market.
Blanketing 69 important coun¬
ties with half a million TV
homes, its power is measurable
both in ERP and in viewer ac¬
ceptance, persuasive selling.

No other medium approaches
WSAZ-TV’s broad popularity.
Nielsen shows (for example) a
pighttime, weekday supendrjty
of 100,580 homes for WfeXt-
TV over the next-best station.

LIVING IT UP

With Arthur Askey, Richard Mur¬
doch, Anthea Askey, others
Director: Eric Fawcett
30 Mins., Friday 8:30 p.m.
Associated - Rediffusion from Lon¬
don

The old Arthur Askey-Rlchard
Murdoch partnerships has been
brought to life again by Jack Hyl¬
ton in this new commercial tv com¬
edy series. From the first airing of
this show, it seems that it’s set to
click. Askey knows how .to use the
tv medium to the best advantage,
and together, he and Murdoch, as¬
sisted by Anthea Askey. come up
with a very funny program.

Setting for the show was a mak6-
belieVe shack on top of the com¬
mercial television London head¬
quarters, where the trio had set up
home unknown to anyone else in
the building. Funniest spot of the
show was a sketch about pirate
commercials. In need of provisions,
but without any money, the trio
promises the , storekeeper they’ll
sneak some pirate commercials
plugging his store, into the trans¬
missions, and the crazy events
from then oh set a fa|t pace of
comedy.,... Product ion^wa^Hhk^nd
camera work good.

Fellows

This kind of penetration and
preference gets advertising re¬
sults . . . and can propel you to
new sales levels in America's in¬
dustrial heart. Any Katz office
can help you harness WSAZ-
TV to get" you upstream faster.

STJB.CL SrSTCTOZtK

Affiliated with Radio Stations
WSAZ, Huntington & WKAZ, Charleston

LAWRENCE H. ROGERS, PRESIDENT
Represented by The Katz Agency

• ~ ~ — Continued from page 32

of tv “station allocation becomes
policy. And he, uged the gals to
be prepared to ride the crest of the
wave of “an entirely new business
of tv ... in the tradition of Ameri¬
can free enterprise’’'mat would re¬
sult.

Fellows was one of a lineup of
speakers, mostly male, who, in
turn, " coaxed, cajoled, warned,
scolded and, as one bewildered lis¬
tener put it, “confused” the dele¬
gates.

At a series of .work shops and
panel discussions designed to
“evaluate the scope of the feminine
field In radio & tv,” these high¬
lights developed:

Edward Rogers, executive’ pro¬
ducer of NBC’s “Home Show,” em¬
phasized that all shows, and all
audiences, are “local,” and. urged
that women develop personal sales¬
manship coupled with strong edi¬
torial content for successful pro¬
gramming. He set the theme for
the rest of the panel on “Why

Women Stop, Look, Listen and
Buy” by stressing showmanship.

Hausman: ‘You’ve Lost Touch’

Louis iHausman, CBS v.p. in
charge of advertising and promo¬
tion for radio, charged that most
femmecasters' have lost touch with
the average American woman. His
suggestion that they, might well
learn ^ibout the 6Q% “middle-ma¬
jority ”\of the distaff side of the
country^ population by becoming
familiar^ with soap operas, a CBS
specialty, brought raised eyebrows
from the assembled gals who spe¬
cialize in competing with these
daytime serials.

John Corp, v.p. of Peters, Grif¬
fin, Woodward, Chicago agency, 1
added that femmecasters and sta¬
tion execs alike must seek variety
and interest in programming, and
urged all women staffers to con¬
sider themselves part, of station's
sales organization. His own survey
refuted those cited by others by
showing no downgrade in women’s
tv shows in past three years. Like
virtually every speaker during the
four days, he pointed out that tv
is show biz, and that “the small,
loyal audiences of radio just don’t
don’t work” in tv. x

A session on “showmanship and
salesmanship,” both in radio and
tv, proved-most provocative of all.
Former, moderated by NBC's Doris
Corwith painted a rosy picture of
a resurgent radio industry, in
which'96% of all families listen to
shows sometime during the broad¬
cast day. Jayne Shannon, top time-
buyer for J. Walter Thompson,
stated that “radio is the answer to
economical coverage for regional
purposes” and that block style sell¬
ing is the current trend. She pro-
phesized that we. are entering a
period of accent on programs with
quality, depth and ideas.” She
urged a responsive audience to
take advantage of the “universal”
appeal of radio,' warning, however,
that since only 5% of the audience
listens at any given time, the pat¬
tern must be changed to frequent
commercials in order to reach
everybody.

Whitney & Co. Sets Up
Corinthian B’cast Corp.
To Coordinate Stations

J. H. Whitney & Co., the invest¬
ment company which over the past
three years has increased its broad¬
casting holdings to four television
and two radio stations (and is dick¬
ering for one more of- each), last
week organized Corinthian Broad¬
casting Corp. as a wholly-owned
subsidiary to coprdiiiate the activ¬
ities of the stations and supply cen¬
tralized service and liaison for
them.

New company, headed by C.
Wrede Petersmeyer, will not own
or operate the stations as is cus¬
tomary. Title to the properties, will
remain with J. H. Whitney & Co.,
and no move to transfer title to the
new subsidiary is contemplated.
Stations will continue to be run
locally, with all final decisions up
to the general managers of each
operation. What Corinthian will'
do will be to set up a seven-man
operation under Petersmeyer spe¬
cialising- in programming, sales, en¬
gineer*.,.iies promotion, advertis¬
ing and research. Central organi- 1
%atj 4 >iv will act on a national level
«.ut|qf ,N. Y. coordinating the activ¬
ities of the stations and offering
suggestions and improvements sub-
ject to the okay of the local gen¬
eral manager.- •

Besides Petersmeyer, who for
the last three_years has managed
Whitney’s KOTV' in Tulsa but is
a partner in the parent company,
Corinthiann officers and directors
are two other Whitney partners,
Walter N. Thayer and Robert F.
Bryan, who Will act as board chair¬
man and secretary-treasurer re¬
spectively. A policy' committee
will comprise the general mana¬
gers, Paul E. Taft of KGUL-TV,
Galveston-Houston; James C. Rich-
dale Jr., KOTV; Robert B. McCon¬
nell, WISH and WISH-TV, In¬
dianapolis; C. Morris Pierce for
WANE-TV and Reid G. Chapman
for WANE, both Ft. Wayne. ^

New Corinthian execs ' are
George G. Jacobs, director of en¬
gineering; Charles H. Smith, ex-
research ;chief for CBS b&o’s and
WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, director'
of research; Johnston F* Northrop,
assistant to the prez. ‘ Anderson
& Cairns has been named Corin¬
thian’s ad agency.

Femmecaster Awards

St. Louis, April 30.

Seven femmecasters walked off with coveted McCall “mikes” for
standout performances dn public service shows in a glamor-laden
banquet ,which climaxed confab of American Women In Radio 81
Television. Topped by Lee Philips, blond and beauteous WBBM-
TV telecaster, who copped the number one spot in this annual
award sweepstakes by her one-womaij campaign in last summer’s
Chicago polio epidemic, the group gave living life to the reiterated
charge that women’s shows are on the way out.

• McCall’s Frank Hogan keynoted the evening by urging the gals
to “wipe out the fear that you are losing your place in your own
industry” and added the conviction that “you are in as good a posi¬
tion as you ever were.” He also pointed out that'80% of the 49
awards made during the seven years since their inception have
gone to commercially sponsored shows.

Perhaps, most interesting winner was Mrs. Ida McNeil, a vet of 40
years of broadcasting who boasts that license for her station,
KGFX, Pierre, S. Dak., is probably the. oldest one in continuous
existence. Mrs. McNeil, who won the citation for service to hos¬
pital patients and their families, owns, manages, announces, sells,
and has a show on the pioneer station.

Other winners are as follows: Sophie Altman, whose “Teen Talk”
at WRC-NBC, Washington, won in the field of juve shows for its
informative, provocative discussions by teenagers themselves, of
. their problems; Marian O’Brien, wliose “Ladies First” show on
KETC, St. Louis, added a creative writing workshop to her daily
cooking show; Del Vina Wheeldon who reported, on WCKY, Cincin¬
nati, her own experiences as the first woman to fly a jet plane In
order to inform mothers on the importance of air power and to
calm* their fears about their sons’ safety. Mrs/ Wheeldon’s tapes
are being widely distributed by Air Force in its recruiting effort;
Helen Parkhurst, whose “Growing Pains” airer for Westinghouse
stations “has led youngsters all over the country to their, own solu¬
tions of adolescent problems.”

a

Femme Blasters

Continued from page 32

KGNO, Dodge City, Kansas, Edith
Ford, WLW-A, Atlanta, and Saidie
Adwo'n, WTVX, Tulsa, head the
sales divisions in those stations,
while Dorothy Reynolds is sales
service manager for Mutual in
Chicago.

Others, like Joan Barry, WDOD,
Chattanooga, Tenn., with 65 ac¬
counts in her bailiwick, are ac¬
count , execs. Patricia ' Searight,
radio program head for the 50,000
watt WTOP; Sis Atlas, public af¬
fairs director and program pro-
, ducer— for WBBM-TV, Chicago;

! Helen Zelkowitz, manager for
WMVO, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, stood
out as example of femmes in vari¬
ous types of executive jobs. And
at least three owner managers—
Jeanne Bacher, KCST, Fresno,
Calif., Dolly Banks, WHAT, Phila¬
delphia, and McCall award winner
Ida McNeil, KGFX, Pierre, S. D.,
came forward, #

Need New Formats

Edith Fern Melrose, AWRT
prexy, and a continuing success
story with'her standout “House of
Charm” shows on WXYZ, Detroit,
strikes a note of optimism with ter
prediction that femme shows, like
the industry itself, is In a tem¬
porary. cycle from which it will
emerge to a possible new format,
hut greater strength than ever. She
points out that, with the 'increas¬
ing amount of space devoted by
daily papers and magazines to
women’s features, broadcasting will
have to catch up with the advertis¬
ing dollar. She bases her opti¬
mism on the fact that tv was first
tested on women’s shows. “The
women who builLan industry will
have the Ingenuity to fight back,"
she adds. Beset by a wave of criti¬
cisms for the negative^tone of"
many of the .convention programs,
she insists that “when you’re sick,
you call a doctor. We called in the
experts.” ;

On the .concrete side, the gals
took the following steps towards
self-analysis:

ing came up, with be held under
AWRT auspices all over country.

JL A library of books, films, and
other _ training material for self-
improvement is already in the
works for AWRT members.

4. A placement service is in the
works with AWRT national h.q., in
‘New York as clearing house.

5. Continued drive for member¬
ship, which has grown from 300
to over 1,400 in six years, despite
the high rate of attrition typical
of the industry.

Leonard Drops Show

Bill Leonard, who launched his
radio-tv career via “This Is New
York” 12 years ago*, is bowing out
of the WCBS, N. Y. show next
week. His bowout stems from the
station’s decision to expand' the
program to a full-hour cross-the-
board, an expansion which Leon¬
ard. recently recovered from a
heart attack, was reluctant to go
along with. New hour format will
star Jim McKay and goes into the
10 to 11 p.m. slot starting Mon¬
day’^),

PITTSFIELD, N. H.

11 'Rooms —4 Firoplacas — 3 Bath*,
Powdar Rm.—40'x25' Flaldstona ©am«
Rm. SECLUSION • ACREAGE OUT-,
STAMPING VIEW. Words cannot de-
scribe this truly colonial homo on th«
mountain tldo for thoao who desire
relaxing ratroat In mountain country,
for privacy or antartalning. -Com-
plataly and expertly rastorad. Easily
reached from Concord, Manchester, or
15 mlloa -from Laconia. Furnished—
Far talow market, $45,900. — or not
furnlahod to ault. Principals only con¬
tact. LOUIS DUNCAN, Mountain Rd. (
South Pittaflald, N. H.

* YOUNG MAN

With wrltfng talent and several'year*'
movie atudia story dopartmant ex-
•parlanca on both coast* desires Inter¬
esting position in either theatre or TV.

Box V U591-57A VARIETY,

154 W, 44th Street, Noy/ York 24

1. A survey of every station man¬
ager in the country, voted at last
year’s -convention, is nearing com¬
pletion, thanks to all-out coopera¬
tion ‘of NARTB prexy Harold Fel¬
lows, who urged his organization’s
membership to cooperate. Results,
being compiled under chairman¬
ship of Marion Annenberg, Indus¬
try Information ’ Committee of
AWRT, will be professionally an¬
alyzed and made public. This Will
be first complete study of women
in broadcasting ever compiled. A
2 Classes in showmanship and
salesmanship, the twin factors
which reared their heads eVery
.time femme fatality ih broadcast-

Hoiite of Distinction

-7- Lido Roach
Finest section Long Island — 4 Bed
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Golf Club — 5 Minutes to-AII Beach
Clubs.

Calf Evenings General 1-5005

STAMFORD, CONN.
SUMMER RENTAL

Jr. Effete, .deer-jMdlrritt Parkway.
SmaHpool;.5l^r^ms, 31/1 baths.
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End pf June , to early. September.
Asking . |4WQ. - iPhone DAVl} 2-9282.

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/ ART GALLERY, REHEARSAL ROQM,. ETC. *

HOTEL/ GREAT NORTHERN

Call-Manager

.119 *troif »7th Sh. New York ‘

•4

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

49

PRuiety

POPULARITY POLL*

AbUne tynsOHcH

r -N v '—

FEMALE PERSONALITY

ARLENE FRANCIS
Dinah Shore
Loretta Young

PANEL SHOW
WHAT’S MY LINE
ve Got A Secret
To Tell The Truth

DAYTIME PROGRAM

MATINEE THEATRE
Garry Moore
Arlene Francis (Home)

From the Herald Tribune;

•. the importance of the Herald Tribune Viewer Popularity'
Poll is its accuracy and complete independence. It reflects
the preferences of families who have no connection with
any professional committees, award factions or fan
club claques. In this poll ’We the People’ had their say ..

50

TV-FILMS

VKrIEFy

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

TV’s $150,000,000 Tor Old Fix

Continued from page 1 ;

% such slotting, how many millions
of New Yorkers misled piany of
the big ones-and what/is the-value
of such biggies to an indie station
when WCBS-TV gets through with
them, is a question being mulled.

There have been other .‘benefits
too, not included in the estimate.

Incepts a New Network
NTA, on the strength of its fea¬
ture tie with 20th-Fox, was able to
launch a 133-station film network,
the only film network to reach
fruition, now fully sponsored and

of a ‘*live” Bob Hope. Some studios
such as Warners sold their backlog
outright, others' &hose.*to enter tv
distribution themselves such as
Metro.

In addition to the estimated 700
pix in the Paramount pre-’48
stockpile and the 400 to 500 in the
Universal - International backlog,
there are some 1,800 features
which were made in Hollywood
after August, 1948, the cutoff date
after which the various guilds de¬
mand residual payments. As yet,

$$ Breakdown on TV Cinematics

Here is a breakdown of,the grossing performance of cinematics
sold to television to date, concentrating 6n the product of' the
emajor studios:

. Metro-tv in selling'the pre-'48 library of over 700 pix has inked '
about $42,000,000 in biz in 44 markets

Associated Artists Productions, handling the Warner Bros, li¬
brary of over 754 pix, broken ddwn into 13 packages of 58 each,
has signed about $20,000,000 in deals. . *

C & C Super, owning the RK0 library, is estimated to gross
about $25,000,000, an ..estimate complicated by C<& C’s tie-up with.
International Ibatex. Girdle-pantie company guarantees $20,000,-
000 to C & C for spots if and when library goes into 100 top'U.S.
markets. Library is now in 70 to 80 markets, and in addition to
barter thpatricals-for-spot deals, there have been cash considera¬
tions in some markets' and C&C has a participation deal keyed to.
Latex sales.

Republic Pictures, one of the first Hollywood Studios tp begin
selling to tv, has'grossed more than $11,000,000 on its pre-’48
library.

Columbia’s Screen Gems has inked deals grossing about $9,700,-
000 for its 104 Columbia pix released to tv last year,:52 mysteries
and its new package of 39 pix.

National Telefilm Associates, in its selling of 138-20th-Fox pix
broken into two packages, has grossed about $9,500,000. NTA,
incidentally, prior to the 20th-Fox purchases, racked up sizable
grosses on its “Fabulous 40” and “TNT Group,” the latte'r featur¬
ing Selznick productions and the former some top ones from J.
Arthur Rank and>Alexander Korda. In toto, NTA could account
for. about a $13,000,000 gross.

The above highlights of the gross picture do not take into ac¬
count the strong sums earned by shorts and cartoons of major
studios. AAP has grossed about $5,000,000 on the Paramount and
Warner shorts, notably the Paramount “Popeye” cartoons. Addi¬
tionally, United Artists with its package of 39 has grossed about
$2,800,000.

With plans afoot to make it grow.
20th-Fox is partnered with NTA
on the film network deal.

Loew’s, via Metro TV, has a 25%
interest in two stations, KTTV, Los
Angeles, and KMGM, Minneapolis,
with an option for another 25% in¬
terest in KTVR, Denver.

Not that the features- to tv de¬
velopment, now in its heydey with
the product of the majors being
telecast in most major markets, has
been a one-sided boom for any of
the branches concerned, be they
the studios, distributors or stations.
The studios have the stiff 'Com-
petish of the oldies free on tv and
a shrinking boxoffice at theatres.
The distributors have the govern¬
ment's anti-trust suit to contend
with, in addition to getting a re¬
turn on some big investments in
celluloid, and the stations, paying
unprecedented prices for'features,
have to take in some tall coin over
an extended period of time to jus¬
tify the expenditures.

Jlut the tfudiences and the need
for such programming are there—
and the major studios, once RKO
Radio Pictures went into the hands
of the Thomas O’Neil RKO Telera¬
dio group, could not brick the tidej
rationalizing tv is competition any¬
way, so it’ll be a cinematic instead

there" has been no residual formula
ironed out, although Matty Fox’s
C&C Super made a deal for the
post ’48’s in the RKO package, and
United Artists is releasing some
post-’48’s under the so-called
“Monogram” formula, with the
Screen Actors Guild. #

The bulk of the estimated $150,-
000,000 tv grflss has been earned
within the past year-arid-a-half, a
period launched by the RKO Ra¬

dio Pictures-O’Neil deal (See-ac¬
companying boxed breakdown).
O’Neil became interested in buying
-a major library on the basis of his
experience with the 30 Bank of
America pix, so-called because the
Bank Of America, had foreclosed
on them and gave them over for
tv distribution. He also had the
need to supply his tv station with
programming fare. A footnote to
these foreclosed pix which include
“Arch of Triumph,” “Body and
Soul,” and “The' Miracle of the
Bells” is that to date they have
earned nearly $3,000,000 in 175
U. S. tv -markets and 25 markets in
Canada over the span of their three
years in tv distribution.

NTA

—; Cpntlnucd from page 29 ——j

tion's ARB for the same time a
month earlier was 0.3, while Pulse
gave it L7. j Landau was quick to
point out that the “Suez” rating-
represented an audience increase
of 500 to 1,300%. Similarly, the
first NTA show* improved the rat¬
ings of KTTV, Los Angeles rough¬
ly 60% over the „same time slot
the previous month/

On WGN-TV in Chicago the rat¬
ing shot up from a 3.2 the month
previous to a 12.1 for the first
“Premiere Performance” show. And
to further impress the improve¬
ment on the BAC group, landau
ordered a special overnight Tren-
dex on “Guadalcanal Diary,” last
week’s NTA feature film, which
showed a still greater gain for the
NTA affiliate. WGN-TV drew a
14.4, third highest among the four
Chicago channels/ and not very far
below the two top-rated. Compared
with WGN-TV’s March rating of
3.2 for the time, this represented
an increase of about 450%,

Stuck Witli Pilots

Continued from page 29

Pickman. Whitney, until recently
a talent exec at RKO Studios, will
deal with the indies lining up un¬
der the SG banner. Pickman va¬
cated the post to take an active
role as producer of several tv
series for Briskin Productions,
which releases via SG.

, Lots Of Factors
There are many factors blamed
for the SG situation, ancTthose of
other major telefilmeries. The late
buying ^season, the costliness of
shows, taking into account program
and time costs, the confused net¬
work picture,' agencies and spon¬
sors running scared, and the feel¬

TV film Review

NEW ADVENTURES OF MARTIN
KANE . /

With William Gargan, MacDonald
Parke, John Warwick, . Guido
Lorraine, fray E. Callard, Martin
Benson, others

Producer: Harry Alan Towers
Director: David MacDonald
Writer: Art Wallace
30 jHins. (Syndication)

Some good * location .shooting
hypoes Martin Kane’s “new adven¬
tures,” which otherwise stick
pretty close to the simple cops and
robbers chase formula. Zlv, which
is ,co-jprpdueipg and distributing

THEY LOVE ME IN

NORFOLK

Contact: RICHARD A. HARPER, Gonoral Solo. Mgr.
MGM-TV, a service of Loew's Incorporated
701 7fjv Ave., New York 36, N. Y. • JUdson 3-2000

the show, has filmed ihe episodes
in various European locales.

Segment caught opened in
Monaco, with some scenes straight
out'' of Alfred Hitchcock’s “To
Catch a Thief.” It then switched
to London and the city’s harbor.

Ziv currently has placed the
show in over 90 markets, with At¬
lanta and about a dozen other mar¬
kets^ kicking off the skein this

Wiiliam Gargan, the Martin
Kane private eye and central char¬
acter, has developed into 'quite a
gentleman ip : liis new adventures,
.emphasizing ' his cooperation with
police authorities, being on the up
and up with the law, and judging
from the pilot, outwitting hisr ene¬
mies rather than beating them into
submission.

Characterizations in the initialer
were on the uncomplicated and in¬
distinctive vein. Plot based on a
story by Paul Dudley and adopted
by Art Wallace for the screen con¬
cerned a wayward daughter who
innocently takes up with a smug¬
gler. Playing the heavy was Martin
Benson, who did an effective job,.
The daughter, portrayed by Kay E.
Callard, Shaped up as a comely gal,
although at times lacking in con¬
viction. Her father, played by. Mac¬
Donald Parke, who runs to the
private eye for help, performed
well. Although produced in Eng¬
land with some English talent,
there appears. to be no trouble in
the- language department, audibly
all characters come through excel¬
lently. J

Main interest stems from the
chase, an element which was quite
adequate in segment seen. Some
parts bogged down a bit with too
much commentary done by Gargan,
There were few surprises once the
plot lines were fixed—the'“heavy”
had to be caught and the wayward
daughter returned to poppa.

Inside Stuff—TV films

National Telefilm Associates is.pulling a switch in tossing a screen-
ingrcofcktail party tomorrow (Thurs.) on its “How to Marry a Million¬
aire” pilot out of the 20th-Fox production stable. In keeping with
the title, the screening and party is open only to secretaries at the
top ad agencies, not their bosses who normally attend such functions,
Some 200 of the gals, secretaries to account execS, v.p.’s.and radio-tv
directors, will attend at the Hotel Plaza, with three “millionaire”
judges on'hand to pick the'girl “most likely to marry a millionaire”
Idea for the shindig came from Aaron- Beckwith, NTA dfrector of
sales development, so he’s been granted the job of hosting the affair

Don Taylor, director of the Stubby Kaye vidpix pilot “Full Speed
Anywhere,” now .making the network-agency rounds, has difficulty at
times knowing which hat to wear. As an actor, he soon -departs for
South America for location shooting on Universal-International’s “The
Amazons,” -in which he has a lead.

In the past four years as an actor on tv, he’s been in such shows
as “GE Theatre,” “U.S. Steel Hour,” “Climax,” /‘Lux Video Theatre”
and “Studio One.” As a director in which role he’s specializing lately,
he’s wrirked on episodes in such series as “Telephone Time,” “Hey
Jeannie!” and “Foor Star Playhouse,” in addition to doing the Stubby
Kaye pilots made under the Four Star Productions banner.

ing that pets,, favor shows which
they own or have an interest in.

Peculiar to SG* though is that in
this season of buying westerns, the
Columbia subsid didn’t come in
with one in that category.

Aggravating the situation is the
cost of some of SG’s pilots. The
.Tvanhoe” pilot, done in color,
which ran into complications in
England, reportedly cost in the
neighborhood of $130,000. With
that investment on the books, SG
gave the greenlight- to go ahead
with production of the series in
England, feeling that if a national
sale is not consummated, show can
be sold in the Commonwealth
countries and'put into syndication
in the U.S. nother costly pilot was
“Here Comes the Showboat,” put
at approximately $90,000, on which
ABC-TV has taken an option, along
with another SG show, “Casey
Jones.” >

In the roster of 11 in the can, at
least two were planned to go the.
syndication route, probably “West¬
ern Ranch Party” and “Johnny
Wildlife.” But it still leave# a siz-
able investment in unsolcT pilots,
.considering that about $40,000 is
invested on the average in each of
the remaining showpieces.

No Telepix Comedy

= Continued from page 29 —;
“Panic” and the veteran “Dragnet”
were the only such NBC shows pre¬
viously, and they’ll be back next
season. CBS’ new series along
these lines will be the hour-ion^
'Perry Mason” and its only other

such programs “Alfred Hitch- .... ...

cock Presents,” back next year, ofiaver the course of a year, Manson

course. Syndicated entries qf this
type include_“The Adventure# v of
Martin Kane” and “The New Ad¬
ventures of Charlie Chan.”

ABC leads in actioneers, with
three, and' “Amazon Trader” on
deck next, semester, along with
NaVy Log” and “Adventures of
Jim Bowie.” CBS comes up with
new one, “Harbor Master,” as
well as “Sergeant Preston of the
Yukon,” a returnee. NBC's sole
actioher thus -far is “Silent Serv¬
ice/’ , v Syndicated stuff here in¬
cludes Desilu’s “Whirlybirds.”

Syndicators lead the derring-do,
field, however, with Screen. Gems
readying “Ivanhoe” and .. “Adven¬
tures of Gunga Din,” while ABC-
TV Film Syndication has “The •
Three Musketeers.” ABC's single,
•and new^—entry is
NBC’s is “The Fox.” CBS' brings
‘Robin Hood” back next year.

Oliva, Horace Set Up

Gen. Pictures Corp,

Cleveland,. April 30.

The formation of General Pic¬
tures Corp., specializing in educa¬
tional, industrial and tv’ commer¬
cials, was announced by George
Oliva Jr., and Miliard M. Horace, ‘
prez and v.p. of the new company,
respectively.

Until recently, Oliva was tv-ra¬
dio copy director and associate di¬
rector of films in the Cleveland
office of Fuller & Smith & Ross.
Horace was V>p. of Productions-on-
Films, of this city, and newsreel
cameraman for tv stations WJW
and WEWS and still represents
CBS Television Newsfilm.

Latin America

■ Continued from page 2S

son. Within five to seven years,
television will assume the same ad¬
vertising medium, leadership for
the market a& a whole. It is for
that reason, according to Manson,
that many advertisers currently
are using tv, placing, their stakes in
the ascending medium for future
returns, although the cost-per-
thousand in some cases may be
high. In many cases, the current
underwriting by advertisers is be¬
ginning to pay off.

It’s estimated that there are cur¬
rently 1,000,000 tv sets in the Latin
American market, with Mexico,
Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Cuba
running ahead In the tv set count.
Probably, another 200,000 sets will
be added in the overall market

estimated.

The largest Portuguese-speaking
nation of Brazil represents a prob¬
lem to U. S. telefilm firms. With
only three tv stations in that na¬
tion of 80,000,000, with 350,000 to
400,Q00 tv sets, dubbing in Portu¬
guese is "found economically un¬
feasible by most all the companies,
Elsewhere in the Latin Ameri¬
can market all the major telefilm
outfits are represented, including
Ziv, Television Programs of Amer¬
ican, ABC Film. Syndication, NBC
Film Sales arid CBS Film' Sales, as
well as Screen Gems**,

CASCADE'S BLURBS

- Hollywood, April 30.

Cascade PictufeS, teleblurb out¬
fit, is marklng lOth afiril With peak
„ production* on'3? vidplugs during

“Zorro/n next two weeks.

Firm has three crews working
locally^.and a full ctew on location,

.ERNEST CHAPPELL

Is Pleased to Announce
That He Is Now Being Represented Exclusively
by

CARL EASTMAN

CARL EASTMAN-
10 Park Av'fcnua
-Haw Yerk City
MU 2-4TI*

tnrr

11 S t'n.elsll • <rf

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

It’s an Endless 2-Way
Discussion: Those CBS
Vs.~NBC Daytime Claims

CBS : TV is pressing its daytime
ratings case ‘ against recent NBC-
TV claims of leadership with the
observation by daytime programs
v p. Oscar Katz .that “by no in-,
teingent or sensible 'method can
any claim be made that' NBC has
ever overtaken our daytime lead.”
Katz presses the point even though
CBS widened its lead over NBC

ag In n *a reemphasis of his evalua¬
tion of the daytime situation be¬
fore the CBS-TV affiliate meeting
in Chicago three weeks ago, Katz
points out that “NBC has never
overtaken our rating lead”, and that
the rival web has merely taken
selective time periods and omitted
those periods in which it .shows up
badly. He refers to the early morn¬
ing “Today” 7 to 9 a.m. period,
which has fallen off from last year;
to the 10 to 11 a.m. “Home” period,
far below the CBS competition;
and to the 1 to 2:30 co-op “Close-
Up” and “Club 60” block.

Even taking the NBC claim of
leadership a few weeks back in
reference to the 11 to. 1 and 2:30
to 5:30 blocks—a situation which
itself has changed with CBS -out-
in front in those times—Katz in¬
dicates that the mere. addition of
the 10-11 “Home” show would at
that time have put CBS in front.
But beyond this, .“Today” ratings
are down anywhere from 12% to
23% from this time a year ago (the
last Three Nielsens show, a 12%,
17% and 23% drop). “Queen for a
Day,” NBC’s highest-rated day-
timer, has dropped in each of the
last three Nielsens to the point
where CBS programming tops it in
two out of three quarter-hours.

$705,000 IN NEW
NBC RADIO BILLINGS

NBC Radio this week .piled up
$705,000 in new net business, with
the lion’s share coming in the form
of a $525,000 order from General
Mills. Cereal outfit, through
Dancer - Fitzgerald - Sample, pur¬
chased 20 participations a weekend
in the “Fibber McGee Sc Molly”
and “Bob & Ray” capsules on
“Monitor” over a 52-week span
starting June 1.

Other coin came from Princeton
Mills, in its first network radio buy,
with the purchase of 10 “Bob : &
Ray” segments; from, Ex-Lax, ex¬
tending its 16 participations a week
to 20 in four shows; from Columbia
Pictures^ in a three-week, 11-par¬
ticipation order starting June 24;
in an Evinrude order for three
weeks; and the first sponsorship of
“Conversation”.-via two spots this
week from Time-Life.

Buffalo—Joseph Bernard has re¬
signed as v.p. and general man¬
ager for the WGR radio and tv sta¬
tions. He has accepted a similar
position with KTVI-TV in St.
Louis. .WGR was sold to Trans-
Continent Corp. of Buffalo in a
$5,000,000 deal.

RADIO-TELEVISION

Russia Junket

5=. Continued from pace 32
top Russian officals, and have
brought with them intriguing
samples supplied by Millinery In*
stitute of America. They have also
made requests for interviews with
Mesdames Khruschev and Bulganin
—a long shot, but worth the try—
as well as with the head of the
Russian Ballet and other notables.

In any event, they will store up
plenty of material in their tour of
the Kremlin; their proposed chats
with the Russian woman and her
children; the look-see at therG.U.M.
department store and the gigantic
state university; and the visit to
the ballet and opera. And though
their tapes will come under the
eagle eye of the Russian censor,
their ctWii interpretations for their
home radio—tv audiences Will be
the result pf trained observation-
and feminine ingenuity.

Other electronic peeps behind
the Iron Curtain include a brief
stopover in Warsaw and a one-day
toqr of Prague.

Tab for the trip, which will go
on to Vienna, Rome, Nice, Monaco,
Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam, is
an all-inclusive $1,697. Much of
the willing and-dining is cuffo, and
most of the Interviews—with Dior,
Mollet, Franco,, the Pope, etc.—is
prearranged.

Tour is the third biennial travel
project of versatile Bea Johnson,
who won’t discuss her financial end
of the deal, except to point out
that most of her profit cSmes from
speaking, writing and broadcast
revenue resulting from trip. Idea
for the Russian junket came to her
while covering the Big Four C<Jn-»
ference in Geneva In ’55, as result
of a suggestion of some Pravda re¬
porters. Her reaction was “why
not?”

Closed-TV

Continued from page 27 -

circuit audiences; closed-tv has
been transmitted into 200 cities in
the United States and Canada;
from 1950 to 1955 there was an
average of 50 or so tele-sessions
per year; in the past year there
were 300 closed-tv programs; of
which the largest dollar volume
was in big-screen tv.

Halpem issued the closed-circuit
tv progress report in an address
before the Society of Motion Pic¬
ture and Television Engineers to-,
day (Tues.).

Pointing out that closed-tv has
grown into a major medium of tele¬
vision on its own right, Halpern
stated that the specialized uses of
closed-tv may one day exceed “the
far-reaching public effects of
broadcast television Itself.” De¬
spite the enormous growth of
closed-circuit, it has been faced by
“growing pains and some sudden
deaths among the companies which
comprise Is industry,” Halpern
stated.

Attention Show Business!

Vour tradition of greatness can only
?L°w out of what Is NEW, FRESH and
INSPIRED, m fulfilling your heri¬
tage accept a.talented young man Into
Vour ranks.

1 craatlvo and want to provo my-
In TV, Radio Or Thoatro. I am a
good Idaa man, who can writ# and
under pressure. The respon¬
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Write Box V 425-57, Variety,
'54 W. 46 St.. New York 36,

house for sale

WE8T6HE3TER county,
FURNACE DQCK ROAD
hun? t# r, ohts, 4 b«drtom house, 3 baths,
djn* * r#,m kitchen,-, pine pnnneleii
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2 nd H J? r# ®n throughout Including largo porfch.
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Don McGrow

Continued from page 27 ;s—— •

knew the reports to be groundless,
lodged sfrqng protests with WBLU.
A receptionist explained McGraw
started the rumors as a publicity
stunt “to get people to listen to
this station,” which has been in op¬
eration less than a year. It was
further sgid McGraw had meant
the snapper for his agitation about
the uproar at Claytor Lake to be:
“There’s ,a~big bullfrog sitting in
the middle of the lake^ churning up
the .water.”

Eventually convinced that the
hoax, causing a state of near panic,
wasn’t funny, McGraw broadcast
announcements at 12-minute inter¬
vals throughout' Wednesday after¬
noon, admitting the whole thing
had been* a “gag.”

The hoopla, occurred just as a
( new Roanoke radio station, WRKE,
was getting started on the air. Ro¬
anoke city and county now have
six radio stations—two operating
both AM and FM—and two tv sta¬
tions.

St. Louis—Radio station WIL,
owned by the Missouri Broadcast¬
ing Co., joined the American
Broadcasting Co., Sunday (29) the
day after KXOK ceased to be the
local outlet for the web. L. A. Ben¬
son, president of WIL said it will
he the station’s first major network
affiliation in its 35 .years of opera¬
tion.

JANET KERN says:

• •' 1 .. • JfU

f .” 5?

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M

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it ^ I
eVel \

esday \ v

aC ^e-,\

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made \

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Thank you JANET KERN and
Thank you NBC...

3V0JF Y3HT

FOR COMPLIMENTING

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Interested for the Fall? Call:

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52

MUSIC

PfifUETY

Wednesday, May I, 1957

Joe ks/ Jukes and Disks

By MIKE GROSS

Perry Como: ‘‘The Girl With the
Golden - Braids”-“My. Little Bahy”
(RCA Victor). “Girl With the
Golden Braids” is bright and
rhythmic and should follow, Como’s
current click “Round and Round”
Tight to the top. “My Little Baby”
is a slick rhythm item with a hint
of a chile tempo that give it an
equal takeoff chance.

Patti Page: “Old Cape Cod”-
“Wondering” (Mercury). Patti Page
conjures up a pretty, picture for
the summer months with “Old
Cape Cod.” Melody and lyric feel
make it a spinning natural. “Won¬
dering” is a nicely built country
. waltz.

Pat Boone: “Love Letters in the
Sand”-“Bernadine” (Dot), Sock
rendition of the oldie makes it a
choice bet for a 1957 fling. “Ber-
nadine” is the title song of Pat
Boone’s upcoming 20th-Fox pic and
it should swing across the spinning
tables.

Harry Belafonte: “Cocoanut
Woman”-'‘Island in the Sun” (RCA
Victor). Belafonte will continue
riding herd on the calypso craze
with the lively “Cocoanut Woman.”
The folk-styled “Island in the
Sun,” title tune of the 20th-Fox pic,
grows more appealing on repeat
spins.

The Everly Bros.: “I Wonder If
I Care as Much”-“Bye, Bye Lovfc”

nee” (Capitol).* The theme from
the upcoming legituner; “New Girl
In Town,” makes a good deejay
programming bet but its commer¬
cial ..potential is doubtful. “Mati¬
nee* ? anbth.fcr * rich and colorful
instrumental with a slick Riddle
rendition.

Buddy Bregman Orch: *‘New
Girl In Town. (Theme)”-“Nickelo-
deon Holiday” (Verve). Buddy
Bregman is a bit more intricate in
his development of the Boh Merrill
melody for “New Girl In Town”
but it does have interest for off¬
beat deejay programmers. Reverse
is a happy instrumental romp.

Kay Armen: “Don’t Be Afraid”-
“With This Pen,” (pecca). The
rocking beat of “Don’t Be Afraid”
should win Kay Armen a flock of
teenage fans. Her job on “With
This Pen” is right in the rocking-
country groove and could get to
mean something.

Andy Russell: “One Is A'Lqnely
Number”-“Day Dream” (RCA Vic¬
tor). After an opening ln~Spanish,
Andy Russell switches to a swing¬
ing beat in the gringo lingo, that
makes the side quite appealing.
“Day Dream,’’, unfortunately, is
the kind of quiet ballad that never
gets a chance to make any noise.

Monica Lewis: “Met My Match”-
, “(If You Don’t) Somebody Else
l*Will” (Columbia). In “Met My

Best Bets

PERRY COMO.. GIRL WITH GOLDEN BRAIDS

(RCA Victor) ... & MY LITTLE BABY

PATTI PAGE_..OLD CAPE COD •

(Mercury) .'.. Wondering,

PAT BOONE .LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

(Dot) .,. Bernadine

HARRY BELAFONTE ...COCOANUT WOMAN

(RCA Victor) . ...... Island In The Sun

Album Reviews

(Cadence). Country-styled “X Won¬
der If I Care as Much” could crack
into the pop field the way the
Everly Bros, handle it. “Bye, Bye
Love” is a country swinger.

Andy Griffith: “Mama Guitar”-
“A Face in the Crowd” (Capitol).
Another good version of the boogie-
beated entry from the pic, “A Face
in the Crowd,” in which Andy Grif¬
fith stars. Title song, on flip, is a
niftyi blues ballad.

Bob Manning: “Love Bank”-
“Warmed Over Kisses—Left Over
Love” (RCA “Victor). “Love Bank”
is a bright rhythm number with a
clever lyric and a good rendition
to give it strong spinning chances.
Bottom deck offers nothing.new in
the rockin’ field.

Laura K. Bryant: “Billy”-“Part
Time Gal” (Cameo). Sock dramatic
•''quality of tune and treatment gives
Laura K. Bryant’s “Billy” an out¬
side scoring chance. She’s also ef¬
fective on “Part Time Gal,” a rock¬
abilly item with a predominant
biu'es beat.

The Cues: “Crazy, Crazy Party”-
“I Pretend” (Prep): “Party” is a
lively, rockin’ item that should go
over well with the juke fans. The
Cues’ effective ballad reading on
“I Pretend” gives it a good chance
to catch on.

Roberto Orch: “The Sea”-“If I
Only Had You” (Coral). “The Sea”
is a picturesque instrumental that
creates a vivid melodic portrait.
Reverse is an unobtrusive instru¬
mental.

Richard Hayes: “And So Am I”-
“The Power of Prayer” (Recca).
Richard Hayes’ warm reading of
the tender lyric in “And So Am I”
should get the side a nice round Qf
plays. Reverse side is just a fair
reigioso.

Steve Lawrence: “Fabulous”-
“Can’t Wait for Summer" (Coral).
-Steve Lawrence’s cover of Charlie
Grade’s “Fabulous” is good enough
•to make lots of noise on its own.
“Summer” is a pleasant material
piece about the -vacation season.

Sammy Kaye Orch: “A Young
Lover's Dream”-" Wat a Satidy
Night” (Columbia). “A Young
Lover’s Dream” puts Kaye in a
rock ’n’ roll groove with a good
vocal by Barry Frank. Flip side is
a fair, calypso effort.

Mike Secrest: “The Gift”-“Do You
Promise*” (MGM). “The Gift” is a
nicely developed ballad with an ap¬
pealing vocal by deejay Mike Se¬
crest. He becomes a swinger on
“Do You Promise.”

Don Rondo: “On Forgotten
Street”-“To Belong” (Jubilse).
“Forgotten Street” is an average
ballad that gets a plus from Ron¬
do’s romantic vocal styling. Flip, is
a big-voiced rendition of a ballad
with a rockin’ beat.

Nelson Riddle Orch: “Theme
From New Girl In Town”-“Mati¬

Match” Monica Lewis makes the
most of a blues number. The flip
side has an okay beat^but its lead-
in is uncomfortably close to the.
standard. “Are You Having Any
Fun?”

Judy Scott: “The Game of Love”-
“With All My Heart” (Decca).
Newcomer Judy Scott will attract
some attention in her first tune
out. She hits a rocking beat on
‘‘The Game of Love” and segues to
a latino tempo for “With All My
Heart.”

Shaye Cogan: “Stay Away Near-
er”-“Ain’t Nobody Home” (Gee).
Shaye Cogan knows what to do
with a number whether it be
rhythm or blues. It’s too bad that
the rhythm, “Stay Away Nearer,”
or the blues, “Ain’t Nobody Home,”
aren’t quite right for today’s mar¬
ket.

Laurie Loman: “St.. Christopher
Bring Him Home”-“Someone To
Live For” (Era). ^In “St. Cliristo-

» » m m- m. m m

LAWRENCE WELK

and his CHAMPAGNE MUSIC

Coral—Thesaurus Transcriptions
97th Consecutive Week
Dodge Dance Party
ABC-TV—Sat 9-10 P.M., E.S.T.
Sponsored by Dodge
. Dealers of America

Top Tunes and Talent
AEC-TV Mon. 9:30-10 p.m., E.S.T.
Sponsored by Dodge and Plymouth
Dealers of America.

pher” Laurie Loman makes a
plaintive plea to the patron saint
of travelers to bring a sailor home.
She starts swinging on the reverse.

Matty Franklin: “Mama Looka
Booboo” -“Jamaica Farewell” Ca¬
dence). Marty Franklin puts some
Yiddish interpolations into Harry
Belafonte’s current disclicks. It's
just Catskill calypso and with lim¬
ited appeal.

Charlie Barnet: “Myna”.-“Lonely
Street” (Verve). Charlie Barnet
has a chance to swing in his old
manner on “Myna” but he seems
to get lost in the somber mood of
“Lonely Street.”

Bob Ritterbusii: “Tomorrow
Night” - “Raindrop” (Decca). Bob
Ritterbush has the vocal equip¬
ment but the material on his kick¬
off. platter isn't of breakthrough
quality. “Tomorrow Night” is a
fair ballad and “Raindrop” is a
rocking number that’s jhst trying
to follow the vogue. *

George Evans; “Sleep My Heart”-
“Pray” (QT). There’s a pleasing
quality to George Evans’ delivery
of “Sleep My Heart” that gives the
ballad an outside chance for spin¬
ning attention. “Pray,” however,
is one of those message songs that
just doesn’t come across.

Cantor Bela Herskovits: “My
Budapest”-“Don’t Forget To Say
Your Prayers” (MGM). For those
who like the cantorial style, Bela
Herskovits' “My Budapest” will be
an attractive item. Reverse is a
so-so religioso..

Lord Booboo: “No Man And
Woman Can Get Along”-“De Knife,
De Fork, De Spoon” (King).
There’s no telling where Lord Boo¬
boo came from or where he’s go¬
ing. He’s just part of the Island
fling and so ..long as the calypso
craze lasts, he should get along.

Already on the market with the
original cast album of Paramount’s
“Fifhny Face” (Fred Astaire,
Audrey Hepburn, Kay Thompson),
Verve completes its three-ply pack¬
age push on the pic with sets by
the Buddy Bregman Orch and the
Barbara Carroll Trio. In the Breg¬
man offering, there's a fullblown
orch treatment, in varied moods of
the George Gershwin melodies. He
mixes ’em up with big band (36
pieces) and small band (10 pieces)
treatments but at all times he’s
recreating the bright and theatrical
Gershwin niood in the proper
manner. Miss Carroll approaches
Gershwin via the jazz, route and
she, too, knows the way. Her piano,
backed by Joe^Schulman’s bass and
Joe Petti’s drums, is always imag¬
inative but she never trys to top
the composer who’s given her
plenty of material to work with..
It’s an all-around standout set. In
each package, six of the tunes are
borrowed from sources other than
“Funny Face.” But it’s all Gersh¬
win. so who’s gonna quibble?

Mantovani should be known as*
the “Big M” in mood music. What¬
ever he’s touched, be it classics,
standards or pops, the Mantovani
manner has turned the packages
into bestsellers. He’s repeating his
formula in “Film Encores” and
once again he's turned up with a
winner. He’s picked a dozen popu¬
lar pictures and he's given them
the Mantovani technique of build¬
ing a melodic, impression via' sus¬
tained musical waves. The Manto¬
vani wavelength reaches every¬
body! Also in the instrumental
(read mood music) groove is Hugo
Winterhalter’s “The Eyes Of Love”
for ^ RCA Victor. Winterhalter’s
arranging and orchestral concept
develops the “love” theme with
lush musical patterns* Similarly,
but perhaps more rhythmic, is
Jfihnny Costa’s “The Most Beauti¬
ful Girl In The World” for Coral.
His treatment of the standards is
almost a jazz concept but it’s
modulated and gentle and easy on
the ear. Also linked to the instru¬
mental album pattern is Paul
Weston’s “Crescent City” (Colum¬
bia). It stand apart from the
others, though, because it’s
Weston’s own material. And the
material is a musical portrait of
New Orleans which Weston has
etched with vivid strokes across an
LP canvas that covers the town
from the “Riverfront Blues” to
“Mardi Gras.” It’s a melodic,tour
of the town.

The society dance band vogue
started to boom on wax about six
months ago with the Epic release
of a Lester Lanin package. Label
now has followed it up with a Sec¬
ond package, “Dance To The Mu¬
sic of Lester Lanin.” It's patterned
after a society deb romp with'the
melodies simple, varied and. con¬
tinuous. Lanin manages to squeeze
33 numbers onto the LP and they
all haverthat happy businessman's
bounce whether they’re in the

waltz, foxtrot or latino groove, it’ll
help keep any party moving at a
fast, tempo. Also in the terp mood
but strictly south-of-the-border
stuff, is Fiesta Records’ two 12 -
inch LP package, “Fiesta Time”
Jose Morand takes care of the
bolero, samba and rhumba
rhythms; El Reys de-Tango and
Don Santiago Orch toy with the
tango and merengue; • Orquesta Fi¬
esta Cubana 'belts out the cha-cha-
cha, and Rainon Marquez orch
whips up the mambo. The 24 num¬
bers should satisfy all the hip¬
swinging terpsters.

Although Frances Wayne hasn’t
meant too much in the pop singles
market, she’s a solid Songstress
,who shows up in great form on
this new Brunswick package. With
an arranging and conducting assist
from her husband, Neal Hefti, the
oldies in the set are given a hep
jazz delineation. Seven of the doz¬
en songs here are associated with
Ethel Waters (“Happiness Is A
Thing Called Joe,” “Heat Wave,”
“Stormy Weather,” etc.) but Miss
Wayne gives it her own jazz twist
that makes ’em quie distinctive.

Liberty Records has been suc¬
cessful in breaking through a new
thrush via an album showcasing,
Julie London’s click is the prime
example. Label may have a repeat
with an album .by Donna Fuller,
She follows in the vocal mold fash¬
ioned by Anita O’Day, June Chris¬
ty and Chris Connors but she’s got
a sultry style all her own that gives
the lyric an added dimension. She
caresses six standard ahd six by
Coast writer Joe Greene to the
fine backing of Pete Rugolo’s orch.

Susan Reed doesn’t work at the
singing game too often these days
but she’s still one of the standout
interpreters of the folk ballad.
Most of the tunes.in this Elektra
package are familiar' to the folk
buffs but “Black Is The Color,”
“Barbara Allen,” “Molly Malone,”
“If I Had A Ribbon Bow” and the
like stand repeat hearings in her
hands.

Jackie Paris is a jazz troubadour
familiar to the intimate night club
coterie. His style is warm and ef¬
fective and he puts plenty of meat
onto a lyric with an inventive
phrasing technique. In this Bruns¬
wick package tagged “Skylark”
Paris works with such top jazz men
as Billy Taylor, Charlie Shavers,
Trigger Alpert and George Barnes,
among others. They all know their
Way.

Additions to the jazz shelf: Sal
Salvador takes his guitar on a solid
jazz spree in “Shades of Sal Salva¬
dor” (Bethlehem) . . . Art Blakey’s
pulsating percussion highlights “A
Midnight Session With The Jazz
Messengers” (Elektra) . . . Tony
Scott’s clarinet leads a quartet
through some bright jaizz pieces in
“Tony Scott in Hi-Fi” (Brunswick)

. . . Joe Newman Sextet shows off
an imaginative Swinging style in
“The Happy Cats” (Coral). Gros.

Sinatra, D. Day, Platters,
Armstrong, Anthony Orch
Top AFN-Berlin Survey

Berlin, April 23.

In an effort to build up listener
participation, AFN-Berlin asked its
radio audience to voice preference
on the most popular record artists.
Popularity poll was divided into
five categories: male vocalist, fe¬
male vocalist, singing group, jazz
personality, and orchestra or
danceband.

Results were: most popular vo¬
calist, Frank Sinatra, with Pat
Boone and Elvis Presley as run¬
ners-up; Doris Day, No. 1 female
vocalist, followed by Ella Fitz¬
gerald and Teresa Brewer.

The Platters emerged first
among singing groups with the
Four Aces and the Four Freshmen
runners-up,' Winning the jazz
class by an overwhelming majority
was Louis Armstrong, with Stan
Kenton second. .Named 'as best
danceband was the Ray Anthony
aggregation, followed by Les
Brown and Bill Haley.

As revealed by Mark White,
AFN-Berlin’s program director,
the top stars will be sent statuettes
of the Berlin Bear.

Gabler to Coast

Milt Gabler, Decca’s pop artists
& repertoire chief, has ankled his
New York base for three weeks of
recording sessions on the Coast.

He’ll be working With Jack Pleis,
diskery’s musical director, also
based in Gotham., , u .,

yfiniETY

JO Best Sellers on Coin Machines

1.

2 .

3.

4.

'' 5<

6 .

7.

8.
9.

10 .

ALL SHOOK UP (4)
LITTLE DARLIN’ (4)
ROUND AND ROUND

PARTY POLL (9).

GONE (2) ..

BUTTERFLY (10) ....
WHY, BABY, WHY (5)

( 6 )

I’M WALKIN' (8)
DARK MOON (1)

NINETY-NINE WAYS^ .
MARIANNE .

Second Croup

SCHOOL DAYS.

COME, GO WITH ME

SO RARE

Elvis Presley .

Diamonds .

Perry (j'omo .

Steve Lawrence ...

Buddy Knox .

Ferlin Huskey ..

Andy Williams ...

Charlie Grade ...

Pat Boone . v .

.Dot «►

Patsy Cline .

Fats Domino .

Bonnie Guitar

.. Dot “

Tab Hunter .

.... v ...Dot <

( Terry Gilkyson , ■<.

.... Columbia *

I Hilltoppers .;

. ..Dot ‘

Chuck Berry .

Dell-Vikings .

Harry Belafonte ..

Guy Mitchell ....:

.... Columbia *

Jimmy Dorsey _

...Fraternity *

Platters .

ALMOST PARADISE

f Roger Williams .: Kapp

. ■{ Norman Petty Trio . .. .ABC-Par
(Lou Stein . RKO-Unique

TEEN-AGE CRUSH

Tommy Sdnds

. Qapitol i

[Figures in parentheses number of. weeks song has been in the Top 10]

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

P^RIEfY

MUSIC

53

Rights of a cleffer wer v e further
established last week as a result
of an arbitration proceeding in the'
case of songwriter Don Robertson
against Ross Jungnckel, Hill &
Range’s ASCAP firm. Finding was
that a publisher had no right to
turn over a song to be jingleized
without the consent of the writer.

Robertson launched his squawk
against Ross Jungnickel when the
publishing firm licensed his “Hum¬
mingbird” to the Ford Motor Co.
as a Thunderbird commercial
jingle without his specific consent.
Robertson complained that his
1947 Songwriters Protective Assn,
contract was breached because the
publisher had failed to obtain his
specific consent prior to issuing
the license on his song. SPA pact
calls for a 50-50 split between pub¬
lisher and ’ cleffer on all licenses.
Amount of the Ford shellout for
“Hummingbird” was not revealed.

The arbitrators, songwriter Jay
Gorney, appointed by Robertson;
Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records,
appointed by Ross Jungnickel, and
Joseph McDonald, NBC treasurer,
mutually appointed by both parties,
after, hearing argument ordered
that a poll be taken to determine
industry accepted practice with
.regard to commercial jingles. SPA
sent ’out this poll to all its mem¬
bers. Replies showed that the pre¬
ponderant industry practice since
’49 under the '47 SPA contract had
been for the publisher to obtain the
consent of the songwriter before
issuing such a license.

The settlement, which included
a revision of the license fee for the
use, also provided for the with¬
drawal of the writer’s claim for the
return of the copyftght and the
withdrawal of claim for damages
to the writer’s reputation by reason
of the use. It further provided
that Ross Jungnickel obtain written
consent from Robertson in the
future on all compositions covered
by the '47 SPA contract, before
issuing any license for commercial
jingles."

Col Showtuners

Consumer resistance to the
upped price on Columbia original
Broadway cast albums is forcing
the label to revert to the original
$4.98 tab.. Col had hiked its orig¬
inal cast album line to $5.98 last
March.

According to Hal Cook, Col’s
sales veepee, click, sets like “My
Fair Lady” and “Kismet” had no
trouble going at $$.98, but there
was a definite consumer reluctance
to shell out that price for other
cast packages in the Col catalog.

None of the other diskeries fol¬
lowed Col’s lead last March. RCA
Victor, Decca and Capitol, which
have original cats sets in their
catalogs, kept the price at $4.98.

Col’s drop back to $4.98 follows
its “Buy k of Broadway” campaign
which wound up Monday (29). The
“BOB” promotion offered the con¬
sumer an original cast album at
$3.98 for every cast set purchased
at $5.98. Dealers who participated
in the campaign won’t suffer an
inventory loss by the cutback to
$4.98 since they were able to main¬
tain an 8% advantage.

Ray McKinley Back in U.S.
After ‘Curtain-Raising’

The Glenn Miller orch under the
direction of Ray McKinley re¬
turned to the U, S. Saturday (27)
after a month’s tour of the Iron
Curtain countries, Greh is set for
. a guest spot on Ed - Sullivan’s CBS-
TV stanza May 19.

Orch played dates in Czechoslo¬
vakia, Rumania, Poland and East
Germany. The tour was under the
auspices of the ,U. S. State Dept.
andANTA; " „ ■

Mayflower ‘Compact’

London, April 30.

Bob Lewis, the stowaway
Who was .kicked off the May¬
flower II shortly after its had
begun its voyage to America,
has been signed to a long¬
term recording contract by
Norman Newell, EMI artists &
repertoire man. His first disk
is due to be released here on
the label May 17. Copies are
being flown to the States this
week, and it’s hoped that the
disk will be released there
shortly.

Lewis wSs originally signed
on as a member of the May¬
flower crew—his post was to
have been that of “noise,” a
sort of ship’s band—but last-
minute alterations excluded
him from the voyage.

Wexler (Ex-Col)
Sets Cabot Label
Lines Dp Roster

Paul Wexler is back in the re¬
cording business again. Former
Columbia Records veepee has set
his own firm, Cabot Records, and
will be ready to roll within the
next few weeks.

Cabot will concentrate on the pop
field with releases for the singles
and the packaged goods market.
Wexler., has set 37 distributors
around the ■ country to handle the
line.

Already inked to th£ Cabot ros¬
ter are Alfred Drake, Lionel Hamp¬
ton, Virginia Gibson, of the
legituner “Happy Hunting”; Sandy
Stewart of Garry Moore’s tv show
and crooner-trumpeter Bill Heyer.
Wexler also plans a series of organ
music releases and already has
latched on to A1 Lawrence, Betty
McDonald , and Ashley Miller. Bert
Bacharach, Danny Davis and the
Merrill Jay Singers round out the
roster.

There’S no artists 6t repertoire
man yet set for the Cabot opera¬
tion and Wexler is assigning both
single and album sessions on a
freelance basis. Platters by Hamp¬
ton and Lawrence will kick off the
line. ^

DECCA IN BIG PUSH
OF ‘80 DAYS’ SINGLE

Decca’s sales and promotion
staffers on the national and re¬
gional levels are on a concentrated
promotional push this week on the.
single record of the theme from
“Around The World in 80 Days.”
Platter couples Victor Young’s in¬
strumental version from the sound¬
track with a vocal version by Bing
Crosby.

The soundtrack set has become
one of the fastest track sellers in
disk history and the diskery aims
to have some of the sales rub off
on the single. In addition to road
trips by Decca personnel this week,
diskery is pushing with display
streamers and special mailings. The
Mike Todd pic is playing only , a
limited number of markets and
Decca figures that the potential of
the single is still far from realized.

Hampton in 1-Niters

Liqnel Hampton returned to New
York yesterday (Tues.) after a
three-week tour of Australia.

He starts a one-niter tour in
Clemson, S.C., Friday (3) with
dates in Charleston and Colutt>
bia (S.C.), Fayetteville and Dur¬
ham (N.C,), Charlottesville. (Va.),
White Plains (N. Y.) and Asbtfry
Park (N. J.) already set for the
rest of the month. (

BOSTON’S ’NE W ERA FOR BANDS’

Panel Roles Publisher Most Get
Cleffer’s Nod to Jingle-Up a Song U

Boston, April 30.

Return of the big bands to New
England is seen here with the
$250,000 ballroom project now un¬
derway at Nantasket Beach in the
first building of a dancery in the
six-state region for more than a
decade. The old Ocean Gardens At
Nantasket is being completely re¬
constructed into an oceanfront
building along Miami lines to be
named the Surf. It opens June 14
with a big name band policy.

Already booked for the new spot
are Guy Lombardo, the Glenn Mil¬
ler Band led by Ray McKinley, and
the disk team Four Lads. William
J. Spence, young Harvard grad and
youngest son of the w.k. Rockland
banking and leather manufactur¬
ing family-, has made a survey of
the dancery biz and a result of his
findings feels that the dance biz,
hypoed by big bands, is now once
again on the ascent with big poten¬
tial to be realized.

Spence said he is negotiating
with Les Elgart orch, Tony Ben¬
nett, McGuire Sisters, Frankie
Laine and other top attractions for
ballrooms. His format will be:
South American dancing on Wed¬
nesdays; big name bands and name
singers on Friday nights; and a
special “Surf Style” dancing party
on Saturday nights.

Interior motif of the dancery
will be in rich pastels with a floor
comparable to those of the largest
ballrooms in the country. Capac¬
ity will be 4,500. A full wall of
picture windows will look out over
the ocean from a second floor vant¬
age point.

The entire Ocean Gardens build¬
ing is being rebuilt in ultra-modern
(Continued - on page 60)

Capitol for Dot

Hollywood, April 30.
Bob Willheim,. .assistant adver¬
tising manager and director of al¬
bum packaging at Capitol for the
last five years, swings over to Dot
Records May 13. as assistant to al¬
bum a&r chief Tom Mack. He
will be in charge of packaging and
specialize in design,. illustration
and editorial content for liners. .

Dot currently is working on its
first big album project with Mack
putting the. finishing touches to
the packaging .of .the .‘.‘Ten .Com¬
mandments” . soundtrack . .album
which the label, will-release in
May. It jviH be the first tieup
between Dot and Paramount Pic¬
tures, which recently acquired the

firm. .

Jack Smothers was promoted
from editorial assistant to editorial
manager of Capitol, succeeding
Willheim. Smothers will be iff
charge of preparing liners and ad
copy primarily for, trade publica¬
tions. He’ll report to Lou Scur-
rer, manager of advertising and
creative services. *

Meyers Music’s Diskery
Under New Rjchloy Wing

Meyers Music, Philadelphia firm,
expanded its activities last week
v/ith the purchase of Richloy Inc.,
retail outlet and one-stop in the
Philly area. Firm also launched
Peak Records, which will be a
division of Richloy.

Several personnel changes were
made with Augusta Meyers elected
to the prexy post. Henry Moeller
was made veepee and general man¬
ager and John Durick was brought
in as retail manager, . Joe Pale
was retained as head of shipping.
James E. Meyers, firm!s former,
prexy, was elected.chairman of the
board and retiVns.his .post as sec¬
retary-treasurer. Meyers will
leave shortly for. Europe to acquire
new properties for his publishing
firm and to supervise recording
sessions for Peak* 1

Col Jolts 'Em With Jazz 'Buy Program
For May-June; 44 Packages in Drive

Silence Is Gold

Chicago, April 30.

Local bookers and club date
producers were summoned in
small groups to headquarters
of American Federation of
Musicians Local 10 last week
to be sounded out on the lo¬
cal’s policy revamp.

Chief clause under study is
union proposal that bands and
combos booked for programs
with dumb shows be paid for
the length of the show, includ¬
ing the time of act not requir¬
ing musical backing. A state¬
ment on union policy is prom¬
ised for this week.

$13,000,000 Suits
Vs. AFM Ordered
Baclrto Cal. Court

Los Angeles, April 30.
California District Court of Ap¬
peal sent the $13,056,850 musicians’
lawsuits against the American Fed¬
eration of Musicians back to. Su¬
perior Court for a new hearing.
This overruled a previous Superior
Court decision that jurisdiction
cannot be obtained in California
because Samuel R. Rosenbaum,
trustee of the Music Performance
Trust Fund, is an “indispensable
party” to the . action who is not
available in this state. '
Unanimous 46-page opinion by
the three-judge court ordered Su¬
perior Judge John J. Ford to re¬
hear arguments for preliminary in¬
junctions and the appointment of a
receiver.

Last January, when "‘Judge Ford
held he did not have jurisdiction
in the case, he declared that ex¬
cept for the problem of jurisdiction
“the exercise of a sound discretion
would probably require the grant¬
ing of a -preliminary injunction
and, perhaps, the appointment of a
receiver.”

Plaintiff musicians are suing
AFM, disk companies, film pro¬
ducers and tv webs to halt further
payments into the Trust Fund on
the grounds that some of these
payments represent coin belonging
(Continued on page 58)

NEVER ‘TOO LATE’ FOR
AUSTIN,BACK WITHRCA

Vet crooner Gene Austin has
been tapped to a longterm pact by
RCA Victor. After a long stay away
from wax, Austin returned to Vic¬
tor several weekfe"ago to record
“Too Late” for a tie-in ( with “The
Gene Austin Story” on - NBC-TV's
“Goodyear Playfiopse.” , . , 4

Diskery now figures it'll have a
soundtrack wrapped up .if and
when a pic corrtpany goes after the
Gene - Austin story.

Austin began recording for Vic¬
tor 30 years ago and the diskery
has celebrated this mark with' a
gold “Little Nipper” award to the
crooner.

Fraternity's Bid

Chicago, April 30.

Fraternity Records is negotiating
for the purchase of 12 sides of
Gene Austin’s recordings from
Universal . Recording Co. here.
Fraternity plans to release these
as an LP album. The singer, whose
life was portrayed on NBC-TV’s
“Goodyear Theatre” April 21 has
been pacted by RCA Victor.

. Universal Recording prexy Bill
Putnam says no plans are yet
formed for the remaining 50 sides
of Austin’s Cuttings which his com¬
pany has had since 1948.

Jan Garber orch will open the
Starlit Terrace of the Sevenoaks
Country Club, San Antonio, with
a dance May 8.

Columbia Records’ ““Buy” pro¬
gram for May and June will accent
the diskery’s jazz catalog. Cam¬
paign, tagged “Jazz Buy Columbia,”
follows the pattern of first of the
year's “Buy of Your Dreams,”
which accented mood music, and
the followup “Buy of Broadway,”
which was pegged on the label’s
original Broadway cast album.
That is, for one regular album pur¬
chased at $3.98 the consumer can
obtain another album at $1.98.

Col is launching its “JBC” cam¬
paign with 38 jazz packages. Six
new releases will be added to the
program in June. The June addi¬
tions are pegged oh bringing con¬
sumers back into the stores a sec¬
ond time. All albums will revert
back to their original $3.98 price
June 29.

The distributor buying period on
['the jazz push started April 29 and
will run through June 29. The
recommended dealer cost is $1.85
per unit.

Among the artists in the jazz
program are Duke Ellington, Er-
rolll Garner, Dave Brubeck, J. J.
Johnson, Kai Winding, Louis Arm¬
strong, Leonard Bernstein and Les
Elgart.

Continuing its “Buy of the
Month” program (one pop and one
classical album at $2.98 each), Col
has set for June »“Ring Around
Rosie” with Rosemary Clooney and
the Hi-Lo’s for pop and Sir Thomas
Beecham conducting Tchaikovsky’s
“Nutcracker Suite” for classical.

For its -May pop album release
schedule Col has set packages by
Andre Kostelanetz, Escudero, Shir¬
ley Jones & Jack Cassidy, Wild
Bill Davison, Marty Robbins and
Pearl Bailey. The lone Master-
works release is a Eugene Ormandy
(Philadelphia Orch) and, Dimitri
Mitropoulos (Philharmonic Symph
of N. Y.) coupling.

Victor Popping
A lbums in May

RCA Victor is rolling into the
May album market with 13 pop
album releases and two conver¬
sions. There’ll be no classical re¬
lease during May because of Vic¬
tor’s trade-in promtion on long¬
hair sets which is running con¬
currently.

Highlighting the pop push are
Hugo Winterhalter's “Eyes of
Love,” Homer & Jethro's “Bare¬
foot Ballads,” Nilla Pizzi’s “Love
Me If You Want to,” Dell Wood’s
“Hot, Happy and Honky Tonk,”
Lee Wiley’s “West of the Moon”
and Barbara Carroll's “It’s a
Wonderful World.” The conver¬
sions are packages by the Sauter-
Finegan orch and Shorty Rogers-
Andre Previn.

For tbe-.“Save on Records” pro¬
gram for May, Victor is issuing
|ted Norvo’s ^Hi-Fi” for the jazz
field, Ray Bohr'S? “Big Sound on
iBrpadway”’ fot -pops, and Prokov-
ieff’s : “Seventh Symphony” and
“Classical ■ Symphony” by Malko
and the PhilharhiOnia Orchestra
for the classical field.

Capitol Question: Who
Pubbed ‘Ho Bonnie’?

Hollywood, April 30. .

The proverbial musician who lost
a bass fiddle, has nothing on Van
Alexander; he’s lost a publisher.

Alexander and Frankie Froeba
wrote “Ho Sa Bonnie” back in 1939
and Alexander recorded the tune
with his own band, with Butch
Stone on vocals.

Last week the Merry Macs re¬
vived the tune in a Capitol disk¬
ing and in the ensuing documen¬
tary technicalities it was discovered
that no one knows who published
the song. There are no records
available anywhere and Alexan¬
der’s memory isn’t that good.

u

MUSIC

yS&IETf

Talent Multiplies, Jobs Lag

That*! the Big Future Problem at AGMA Sees It
At 20th Birthday

By MIKE ‘GROSS

Biggest problgfh facing the
American Guild of Mty&ical Artists
(AGMA) in its 20th arijii year is the
buildup of new musical groups to
keep pace with the increased num¬
ber of performer availabilities. Ac¬
cording to Hy Faine, AGMA’s na¬
tional exec secretary, “job oppor¬
tunities have increased but not in
proportion to the number of as¬
pirants who are continually comihg
into the field.”

AGMA staffers around the coun¬
try now are pitching for the estab¬
lishment of new groups, musical
societies, opera companies, etc., to
help raise the employment level in
the music performing field. In its
efforts along these lines, AGMA is
willing to cooperate to the extent
that it will go along with a non¬
union operation, for the time being,
just so long as a new musical group
gets going. AGMA also, is trying
to get Government aid for the es¬
tablishment of these groups.

Also on* AGMA's agenda is a
drive to get unemployment insur¬
ance and social security benefits for
musical performers. Hitch here is
that most of the musical outfits are
nonprofit orgs and the law states
that a nonprofit org isn’t required
to pay these benefits but it can
“volunteer” to do so. It’ll be
AGMA's job to get them to “voir
unteer.”

AGMA is celebrating its 20th
anni next month with a three-day
conference in New York beginning
June 10. Theme of the conference
will be “The American Artist
Comes of Age.” Among the speak¬
ers skedded for the conference are
Columbia Records’ prexy Goddard
Lieberson,. choreographer Agnes
de Mille, opera singer Regina Res-
nik and concert manager Frederick
Schang.

AGMA membership now num¬
bers 3,000 and covers performers
in the opera,’ concert and ballet
fields.

‘Do We Want More Musicians?’

Paul Hume, music editor of the
Washington Post-Herald, will ad¬
dress two, general assemblies of the
National Catholic Music Educators
Association in St. Louis, May 4 to
8, on “Do We Want More Mu¬
sicians?” and “Where Is Music Go¬
ing iii America?”

The meeting is expected to at¬
tract 3,000 Catholic music educa¬
tors from all parts of the United
States.

German Disk Industry
Sells Nearly 40,000,000
Platters During 1956

Frankfurt, April 23.
The German record industry has
sprung a long way .in its postwar
development, producing nearly 40,-
000,000 platters during. 1956, ac¬
cord to a current report in Die
Schallplatte, German repord maga¬
zine. Light music and dance or¬
chestras lead in selling the most
platters, and a pair of new names
with the leading singers on indi¬
vidual platter disclicks—both with
songs about flowers.

Gitta Lind stacked up 650,000
sales, in four.ihonths. iov her. re¬
cording of “Weisser . fefolupder’’
(White ’.Lilacs) fp‘r Telefunken, 1 arid
won herself a' golden record for
making over a'half million sales.
And “Das Edelweiss vom Wendel-
delstein sung by the Hofmann
Sisters rated second place.

Next most-important sellers dur¬
ing 1956 on single platters in Ger¬
many were “In der Schweiz In der
Schweiz’ (In Switzerland, In
Switzerland), by Vico Toriani, and
“Das Alphorn” (The Alp Horn),
another click by the Hofmann Sis¬
ters.

MGM Pours 1st Album
For Marvin Rainwater

In a move to cash in on the top
selling pace set by hillbilly crooner
Marvin Rainwater, MGM Records
is running into market with a
12-inch LP. It’ll be Rainwater’s
first album exposure.

He’s currently riding, hot in the
singles market with “Find Me a
Bluebird.” Rainwater, who’s based
in Missouri/ 'is featured on tv’s
“Ozark Jubilee.”

1. Banana Boat... .Belafonte 1

: .’* • (RCA) ’

2. Carousel tValiz... .Martin

(Columbia)

3. Girl Can’t Help.. Richard

(Ronnex)

- 4. Ballerina .Cole

(Capitol)

5. Singing Blues.G. Mitchell

(Philips)

6. Join Smgin’. Johnston Bros..

(Decca)

7. Net Als Toen.... Brokken

(Ronnex)

8,. Moontrick Madrid.. Le.ahy
(MoonglowJ

9. I’m Sorry..:.Platters

(Mercury)

10. Stardust ............ Cole

(Capitol)

Col Ups Lampley, Prince

Calvin Lampley has been named
recording director of pop album ar¬
tists & repertoire at Columbia
Records. He had been -working
as music editor in pop album divi¬
sion for the past several years.

Robert Prince also has been
upped in the Col orbit to assistant
recording director in the pop al¬
bum division. He had been music
cuer in the engineering depart¬
ment. Both appointments were
made by George Avakian, head of
Col’s pop album division.

Boston Council Sustains
Mayor’s Veto on Fees For
Jukeboxes in Hot Session

Boston, April 80.

The Boston City Council sus¬
tained the veto of Mayor John B.
Hyne^on jukebox fees at a stormy
.session last week. Charges that the
eotrncil’s committee on ordinances
had not held true public hearings
fun license fee charges produced a
bitter wrangle that prompted the
president to threaten. to suspend
any member who. got too violent in
his accusations.

It was the third week of virtu¬
ally unprecedented council fury,
outgrowth of the council's vote to
reduce the license fees on juke¬
boxes. The fight flared anew when
Councilman Gabriel Piemonte
charged that hearings of the com¬
mittee on ordinances under former
chairman Francis X. Ahearn “were
not public hearings in my define
tion of the word.”

The council voted to raise the fee
on pinball games from $35 to $100,
an action which would add an esti¬
mated $60,000 to the city treasury.
Piemonte charged the public was
not aware of most committee hear¬
ings and that while the letter of
the law was being fulfilled the
“spirit of the law was being
violated.”

Jukebox license fees were cut in
a previous stormy council session
on April 8 by a 5-3 vote which cut
the weekday license from $50 to
$15 and the Sunday license from
$50 to $10, and also reduced the
annual fee for playing radio or tv
for public entertainment. This was
set at $10.

David J. Baker, president of the
Massachusetts Music Operators
Assn., Said he had been requested
by Mayor Hynes to submit a report.

Songs With Largest Radio Audience

The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on
*opyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index .
Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman , ■
Director. Atphabetically listed. *Lepit musical, t Film. ttTV.

Survey Week of April 19-35, 1957
A Face In The Crowd—t“A Face In The Crowd” .. .Remick

A Little Loneliness ...... Sunbeam

A Lovely Night—tt“Cinderella” ’.'.Williamson

Almost Paradise .Peer

Butterfly . r . ....M&P

Do I Love You—tt“Cinderella” .Williamson

Empty Arms .. Ivory

I Could Have Danced All Night—*“My Fair Lady”.. Chappell

In My Own Little Corner—f?“CinderelIa” .Williamson

Ttaliano . Harms

It’s Good To fee Alive—*“New Girl In Town”.Valyr-

It’s Like Gettin’ A Donkey To Gallop .BVC

Just In Time—*“Bells Are Ringing” ..Stratford

Little’ Darlin’ .Excellorec

Lonely Man—t“Lonely Man” .Paramount

Look At ’Er—*“New.Girl In Town”.T.. Valyr

Mama Guitar—t“A Face In The Crowd”.Remick

Man On Fire—t“Man On'Fire”.... Robbins

Mangos—*“Ziegfeld Follies” .......Redd Evans

Marianne .Montclare

Only Trust Your Heart....Feist

Party Doll...Jackie

Round and Round*....Rush

Seven Days in Barcelona ....Britton

„,Ten Minutes Ago—I f “Cinderella” 1 ...Williamson

That’S Where I Shine . .Remick

Twelve O’clock Tonight ...Daniels

Two'Penny Piper ...Sequence

Warm And Tender .....Famous

Whistling Sergeant .Zodiac

Who Needs You ....... .Korwin

Top 30 Songs on TV

(More In Case of Ties)

All Shook Up i t-..Shalimar

Almost Paradise’.......Peer

Ballerina ........Jefferson

Banana Boat Song ..../..^Marks-B

Butterfly.. ......M&P

Chantez, Chantez ....?.....Chantez

Don’t Forbid Me ...... Roosevelt

Gone . ......H&R

I Dreamed .Trinity

Pm Walkin’....... .Reeve

Just In Time—*“Bells Are Ringing” ..;.. Stratford

Little Darlin’ ....... Excellorec

Love Is Strange .....vGhazi

Love Letters In The Sand—t“Bernadine” ......... Bourne

Lucky Lips .... Tiger

Marianne .... Montclare

Ninety-Nine Ways ...Mayland

Only Trust Your Heart .....Feist

Party (Doll ..... Jackie

Promises, Promises .... Manchester

Round And Round ... Rush

Sitting’ In The Balcony ....Bentley

Some Wonderful Day ......Desilu

Teen-Age Waltz .....Champagne

Ten Little Trees ...‘.Rayven

Walkin’ After Midnight ..Four Star

When Rpck And Roll Come To Trinidad.Marvin

Why, Baby, Why . .. . ...Winneton

Written On The Wind—1“Written On The Wind” .. Northern
Young And In Love.*.H&R

Wednesday, May 1 , I 957

On Ike Upbeat

New York

L. Wolfe Gilbert planed back to
the Coast Monday (29) after at¬
tending ASCAP board meeting and
sneaking in a couple of tv-radio
plugs for his book, “Without
Rhyme or Reason” ... MGM
picked up the Bar Records’ master
of Hank Barnett’s “Forsaking All
•Others” * . . Disk promoter Buddy
Basch engaged to Janice Meredith
Freeland . . . Joe Valino, Vik pact¬
ee, guested at. deejay Howard Mil¬
ler’s Chicago Daily News Youth
Rally at Chicago Stadium - Sunday
(28) . . . Johnny Richards orch de¬
buts at a Town Hall concert May

11. Horace Silver Quintet also will
be on the bill presented by Mort
Fega, New Rochelle disk jockey.

Don Elliott will, appear at Bak¬
er’s Keyboard Lounge, Detroit, for
two weeks starting May 6 . .. .MGM
Records is distributing’ 1,000,000
copies of a brochure listing its top¬
selling hits. Titles are cross-refer¬
enced to* EPs and LPs . . . Colum¬
bia Records Transcription Divi¬
sion’s Father's Day promotion with
Gillette Safety Razor Co. was se¬
lected the outstanding tiein sales
premium, plan of 1956 at the recent
annual convention of the Premium
Advertisers of America. Promotion
was tied in with Col’s “Greatest
Moments In Sports” album . . .
Johnny Long took over the^ podium
at JRoseland Dance City yesterday
(Tues.)V . . Judy Scott, new Decca
pactee, guests on Ed Sullivan’s
CBS-TV show Sunday (5).

^Specialty Records has given
London Records worldwide (except
for U.S. and Canada) distribution
to the entire Little Richard catalog
.. . . Crooner-guitarist Eddie Hazell
opened at the Jolly Fisherman,
Norwalk, Conn,, Monday (29) . . .
Danny Davis set by Decca to han¬
dle record promotion for its Philly
branch. Lou Verzola is the Philly
branch manager . . . Larry Sonn
orch kicked off a tour of the mid¬
west last week . . . “Songpluggers
Day” at Fred Waring’s Shawnee-
on-Delaware set for June 11 . . .
Gene Feehan launches a one-hour
experimental Jazz disk jockey pro¬
gram, “Adventures in Modern Mu¬
sic,” over WFUV-FM tomorrow
(Thurs.) . . . Composer - arranger
Phil Moore set by Vik Records as
musical director for Lurle^an Hun¬
ter’s upcoming LP .. . Bbbby Short
winds up a 28-week engagement at
the Red Carpet in mid-May and
opens at Billy’s in Cleveland,
May 27.

Modern Jara Quartet selected by
the National Assn, for the Ad¬
vancement of Colored People to
receive its first annual award for
outstanding cultural contributions
in the field of music . . . Morgana
King, Mercury pactee, currently
at the Beau Brummel, eastside nit-
ery . . . Pianist Virginia Parker
current playing her 12th week at
the Sheraton-Blackstone Hotel,
Chicago . . . Tonlmy Dean got his
draft board notice before his first
RCA Victor recording session. He’s
a cousin Of Gene Austin.

- Lustig & Kahrs handling press for
George Avakian’s “Music for Mod¬
erns” concert series ... Kirk Stuart
held over indefinitely at the Three
Gables, Stamford, Conn. . . . Della
Reese set for a week at the Bell-
aire Club, Chester, Pa.," beginning
May 27 . . . A1 Hibbler on a string
Of one-niters through the Detroit
area until May 5 . . . Trudy Rich¬
ards opens at the Zephyr Room,
Cleveland, May 7 . . . Don Ovens,
Capitol Records promotion man,
on a tour of deejays through the
south . . . Patsy Shaw starts a toiir
of Texas in Galveston May"25 . . .
Gloria Dee featured with Decca
pactees, The Matys Bros., at
Wally’s Clover Club, Miami.

purchase by Paramount,.. Fredd*
Martin, longtime with RCA VicW
may exit the. label . , . Abe
mond took on local distribution of
both- the Arwlii and Kent labels.

Chicago

Four Shade* of Rhythm onen
four-week stand at. St. Loui?
Opera Club May 17.. . . Naturals
(3) pacted for a two-weeker at tha
Esquire Red Room. Dayton, o
May 13 . . , Billy Wiiliams Quartei
into Angelo's Studio Inn, Omaha
for two frames Friday (3) ’

Dizzy Gillespie starts his midwest
tour at Toledo, May 10 . . , Spike
Harrison into the Cliff Bells, De¬
troit, June 3 for six. sets . . . Folk-
singer Win Stracke will pair up
with guitarist Richard Pick at the
Gate of Horn here starting next
Wednesday (8) . . . Henry Brandon
orch will replace Ted Fio Rito’g
group at' the Chez Paree May 18-
June 15, when Flo Rito tours with
Sammy Davis Jr. ■■■

Pittsburgh

Reid Jaynes Trio back into Carl-
ton House’s Town & Country
Lounge for another month’s stay,
replacing Janet Noel combo . . ,
Cannonball Adderley into Craw*
ford Grill . . . Bobby Marshan out¬
fit playing the Rock 'n' Roll Room
this week'. , . Kaye Ballard brought
an accompanist, Len Bergg^jwith
her to Dore’s on this trip . . .
Frankie Barr band had option
picked up again at Twin Coaches
... Buddy Lee, Lee Kelton and
Tommy Carlyn bands alternating
on regular dances at West View
Park’s Danceland , . . Luke Riley
orch and Del Monacos will con¬
tinue at Holiday House through
the summer . . . Tune Tailors back
into Bali-Kqa indef . . . Joe Pape
orch now in fifth year at Mona Lisa
Lounge. They play there weekends
only . . . Chuck Marlin band re¬
newed for three months at Chez
Dee. '

San Francisco

Kid Ory opening at the revital¬
ized Tin Angel . . . Vic Damone at
the Fairmont’s Venetian Room ..,
Perez Prado played a Sailors Union
dance Saturday (27) in Frisco and
the Sands in Oklahoma the next
day . . . Mary Kaye Trio booked
into Fack’s II May 22, With Enid
Mosier'and June Christy scheduled
for the Andros Bros, spot June 19
. . . Dave Brubeck following Erroll
Garner into the Blackhawk, and
Shelly Manne set for May 14 . ..
Frisco's Turk Murphy will play the
Newpqrt Jazz Festival , . . Sarah
Vaughan, Count Basie and the rest
of the Birdland Stars did well at
the Frisco Opera House—should
have, with a $4.75 top.

London

Songstress Marian Ryan will
leave the Ray Ellington Quartet
early in June to concentrate on
solo vaude and tv dates. She’s been
resident with the combo for over
three years, and' has already been
featured in a commercial tv show
for over a year . . . New Orleans
clarinetist George Lewis wound
■-1118 British tour at the Stoll Thea¬
tre, London, Sunday (28), and is re¬
ported to be in line for several
Continental dates before returning
to the U.S. May 11 . . . Gerry Mul¬
ligan Quartet opened ' two-week
British concert tour at Royal Fes¬
tival Hall Saturday (27). Mulligan,
without his combo, was featured
on BBC-TV a few hours -before ...
Johnnie Gray Band of the Day are
tipped to be the British end of the
Anglo-U.S. exchange for the Jack
Teagarden outfit which have been
offered dates here in the fall.

Morey Carr, singer-bassist with
The Playmates trio, convalescing
at his New Jersey home following
^n appendectomy.

* Hollywood

Henry D. “Hank” Spalding,
founder-editor of Deejay mag, has
sold out his interests in the pub¬
lication '. . /T. Tommy, a WSM
(Nashville) radio announcer, Don
Reno and Red ^Smiley, both from
Roanoke, Va., and Whitey Knight
have been pacted by Dot Records
. . . Eddie Cochran, Liberty Rec¬
ords pactee, back from Chi where
he headlined a‘'youth rally.

Burl Ives’ new non-exclusive
pact with Decca leaves him free
for disking with other labels . . .
Solor Records inked Johnny Brad¬
ford, co-writer of the Dinah Shore
tv shows . . . Joanne Dru getting
tips from' Helen O’Connell on her
projected platter debut . . . Randy
Wood tossed a Bevhills Hotel party
for all employees to mark Dot’s

Philadelphia

The Jones Boys, Anne Reynolds
and Ted Browne current at
Chubby's. Lady Sheree, who
fronted a calypso group, Tho
Trinidadians, at the Jersey -.spot
last week, pacted by Bobby'
Robert and Jay Jerome f or
the summer at Hotel President,
Atlantic City ... Trumpeter Jimmy
Moore bringing his Transition All-
Stars to Snellenburg’s Dep’t Store
May 25 and also slated for Jordan-
Marsh, Boston, and Gimbels, N.Y.
Combo will give lecture-recital
tracing history of jazz . . . Eydie
Gorme replaced Georgia Gibbs, a
last-minute cancellation 'at the
Latin Casino because of ptomaine
poisoning *. . Danny Davis, former
promotion man for Eddie Fishers
disks, named local promotion man¬
ager for Decca Records . . . Bass
player Earl “Gumpy” Comfort,
longtime Embassy Club fixture, has
joined Lenny Herman’s band i° r
a Las Vegas date .

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

PESOPFr

MtSIC

55

To Lure D.J. Attention oil New Disks

Difficulty of getting disk jockey'
Exposure on new releases was
highlighted- last week with the
launching of a couple of special
promotions to draw attention to
the new-platters. With the dee jays
continually getting close td 100
new releases every week, most mu¬
sic bizites figure that you’ve got to
do “something different” to pull a
record out of the heap.

Last week’s “something differ¬
ent’ took the form of contests with
rCA color tv sets as the big prize.
Iroriically, RCA Victor isn’t in-
yolved in either of the promotions.

• Archie Bleyer, Cadence Records
prexy, kicked off his contest for
“Part Time Gal” cut by a new
group tagged The. Bobbsey Twins.
Contest is in the form of a'guess¬
ing game to identify .the two. chirp¬
ers on the platter. First dee jay
who ‘ guesses correctly gets the
color set. First 10 listeners who
guess correctly get RCA portable
tv sets.

According to Bleyer, it’s getting
tougher and tougher to get turn¬
table exposure, especially on new
artists. “A record today needs
something extra to kick off and
maybe the contest’s the thing.
Every record needs an initial
week’s exposure and. if it has what
the public wants it’ll Start rolling
on its own. Trouble is that most
records don’t get that first week’s
help.” The Cadence contest, winds
tip May-/ 26.

Goldie Goldmark, general pro¬
fessional manager of-the Moe Gale
firms, is running the other color tv
giveaway. His push is on the Epic
waxing by Sal Mineo of “Start
Movin’.” For the past two weeks,
Goldmark has been sending out
teaser postcards on the Mineo plat¬
ter. The cards were sent daily and
numbered consecutively. First five
deejays in the.-east and first five
in the west who return the 11 con¬
secutively numbered cards get the
color tv. sets^

As one music biz exec said, “It’s
one way to sell RCA color tv sets.”

HCL (Hi Cost of Live)

Hollywood, April 30.

JBy .conservative estimate,, it
costs six times as much to use
live music on a tv program in-,
stead of canned music, accord¬
ing to Dixon Dern, CBS-TV
attorney. :

In talking to the California
Copyright Conference last
week on “Who’s Shaking the
Money Tree?” Dem. indicated
that someone shook the money
tree too hard, by the tremen¬
dous amount of canned music
in. use today.

Dern, discussing net copy¬
right practices before the
trade group, saw ho allevi¬
ation until present AFM mu¬
sic performance trust fund
iHiles are chhnged.

Keeping Up With Jones
On Rock V Roll; Prof
" Puts Beat on a Couch

Austin, Tex., April 30. .

, There’s nothing ' wrong with
rock ’n’ roil music itself, says a
professor of music at the U. of
Texas, but adds, “it's the beer hall
atmosphere and some of the peo¬
ple associated with rock ’n’ roll that
is objectionable,”

Dr. Archie NJ Jones, the profes¬
sor, said iiTan interview that “it is
impossible for any type music to be
immoral. The immorality x>f the
question comes in only when peo¬
ple are involved.”

■ Objectionable to him he said, is
that some rock ’n’ roll professional
performances, are. not well done
and, in his opinion, not in good
taste. ‘

. “It might well be possible,” he
continued, “that some other per¬
former might take the same songs
that Elvis Presley sings and do
them well.”

A parent himself, Dr. Jones said,
“I see nothing harmful about a
bunch of kids playing and dancing
to rock ’n’ roll music in their
homes or at a well supervised
school activity.”

Dr. Jones said rock ’n’ roll is no
matter of importance. It is* only
another part of the cycle of “fad-
ism” which has been with us for
the last 30 years, he said. The rock
’n’ roll era is similar to the Black
Bottom, Bunny Hug and Charles¬
ton craze of the ’20s or the; hysteria
exemplified by fans of crooners
speh as Frank Sinatra in the early
’40s.

• “However, no popular movement
ever stays with us as such, but its
influence does. It Is impossible
to have rfhy type of music or musi¬
cal fad that doesn’t have an im¬
pact or does not color music to a
certain extent, but I doubt that
rock ’n’ roll will be anything but
a memory as a name.”

Some’ of the reasons he gave for
the probable death of this type of
music. ,

• 1. “The term rock ’n’ roll doesn’t
identify anythin g—the music
doesn’t actually ’rock ’n’ roll’.

2. “it is not a distinctive form of
jazz, but only a way of playing al¬
most any jazz piece.

Della Ckiesa’sVlPLabel

Songstrfess Vivian Della Chiesa
is doubling as disk company exec,
She’s set up her own VIP label in
partnership with Joseph Lupia.,
Miss Della Chiesa will record
for the label under the name of
■ViVienne. Diskery already has
inked the A1 Conte Quartet.

Toolers Amalgamate With
Their Hollywood Brethren;
Reason: Foreign Tracks

Hollywood, April 30.
.In first gesture of.solidarity with
other AFL unions, ip -Hollywoqd,
new administratiDn of' musicians
Local 47 is joining Holly woodAFL
Film Council, and also:reaffiliating
with Los Angeles Central Labor
Council after many years' absence.

. Film council long sought Federa¬
tion local tieup but was unsuccess¬
ful Significantly,; longtime film
council battle against “runaway”
film production overseas has corol¬
lary in tooters’ drive against use of
imported soundtrack for vidpix.

Gunningham, 6 Others
Reelected By ASCAP

Paul Cunningham was reelected
to his second term as prexy of the
American Society of Composers,
Authors & Publishers by the board
of directors at their meeting in
N. Y. last Thursday (25).

The following six officers were
also reelected: Louis Bernstein and
Otto A. Harbach, veepees; John
Tasker Howard, secretary; Saul H.
Bourne, treasurer; George W.
Meyer, assistant secretary,’ and
Frank H. Connor, assistant treas¬
urer. ' •

Cunningham is the seventh pres¬
ident of ASCAP. According to
ASCAP laws he can be reelected
for one more term.

Film Songs’Words Gotta Fit Plot
And Not Exploitation, Argues Glazer

: .Channcl-on-'the-Rock*

London,. April 30.

British jazz fans are no; ,
longer content to jive their
way down the river Thames to
music from hot combos on
riverboats. Now they’ve gone
a step further and intend to
“Rock Across the Channel”
on a no-passport day trip to
France.

The voyage is set for June
1, and has been sponsored by
a rock ’n’ roll club and a Lon¬
don coffee house. The trip
will cost $5.60. There’ll be six
combos on board along with
several guest artists.

Rushing’s Brit. Tour

London, April 30.

Yank blues singer Jimmy Rush¬
ing is to make a three-week Brit¬
ish tour with the Humphrey Lyt-
telto" band in September. ..No
spots have yet been fixed, but the
tour will be handled by the Lynn
Dutton office.

Rushing was with the Count
Basie orch until 1950, when he
left to form his own combo.

VARIETY Scoreboard

OF

TOP TALENT AND TUNES

Compiled from Statistical Reports of Distribution
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets

Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music

as Published in the Current Issue

NOTE • The current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is
arrived at under a statistical system comprising each of the three major sales outlets enu¬
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de¬
veloped from the ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail
disks) and thtee'ways in the case of tunes {coin machines, retail dislcs and retail sheet music).

POSITIONS
This Last
Week Week

9

10

5

10

POSITIONS
This Last.
Week Week

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8
9

10

10

TALENT

ARTIST AND LABEL TUNE

[All Shook Up

ELVIS PRESLEY (Victor)^..-(Peace In The Valley

(Too Much

DIAMONDS (Mercury) . Little Darlin’

PERRY COMO (Victor) .-.. Hound and Round

FERLIN HUSKEY (Capitol).Gone

CHUCJC BERRY (Chess) ... School Days

DELL-VIKINGS (Dot) . Come, Go With Me

FATS DOMINO (Imperial).• i ” i -;;j;}§u3Sday

(Why, Baby, Why

FAT BOONE (Dot) .. (I’m Waiting Just Fof You ;

(Love Letters In The Sand

BUDDY KNOX (Roulette) ....Party Doll

HARRY BELAFONTE (Victor) .Ilhe^ant B^afsong

. TUNES

(*ASCAP. fBMI).

TUNE PUBLISHER

(ALL SHOOK UP . Presley-Shalimar

(ROUND AND ROUND .......... Rush

(LITTLE DARLIN’ .‘..'. Excelloric

(PARTY DOLL. Jackie

(WHY, BABY, WHY.1.. Winneton

(GONE .:.Hill & lange

(I’M WALKIN’ .........Reeve

(BUTTERFLY.. Hill & Range

(SCHOOL DAYS.(.^. ArG

*COME, GO WITH ME. Pincus

Films today have a tendency to
overplay, special tunes, says .Tom
Glazer, the .ballad singer, who re¬
cently Wffft# the score for his first
picture/’Elia Kazan’s “A Face in
the Crowd.”

‘There’s nothing wrong with
good songs, of course; but when
thq lyrics have nothing to do with
the story, it’s just not good scor¬
ing,” he commented , in Gotham
Monday (29), “There’s a great
deal of pressure that is put on to
feature sehgs in films as an exploi¬
tation gimmick, but unless they ac¬
tually fit in, I can’t see it working
out too well.”

For “Fape in the Crowd,” Glazer *
wrote six songs, which actually fit
into the action, i.e. a number blar¬
ing out of a jukebox or coming
from a radio, etc. In addition, he
wrote the background score for the
Andy Griffith starrer.

Is there too much background
music in pix generally? “I think it
takes almost superhuman objectiv¬
ity on the *part of the music direc¬
tor not to’ put too much music into
the score,” he said.

In. a departure from the norm,
“Face” ends without the custom¬
ary musical flourish. Instead, the '
soundtrack features city, noises.
‘,‘When Kazan first suggested this,

I thought it a little unusual,” ob¬
served Glazer. “But then I real¬
ized that this noise is a- kind of
music in itself. It doesn’t soften
the ending.”

Glazer stressed the importance
of the score enhancing the action
of a film rather than imposing it¬
self on the viewer’s consciousness.
He spent ten months On “Face,”
helping to prep Griffith for ,his
musical nuntbers. “Actually, ‘Face
in the Crowd’ contains as much
music as a regular musical, only
this is ‘realistic’ scoring, with the
music properly integrated,” he
noted.

Though he intends to continue
with his recording and concert ac¬
tivities, Glazer* said he was dis¬
cussing with Budd Schulberg to do
the music on Schulberg’s first pic¬
ture as air indie. Glazer collabo¬
rated with . Schulberg on writing
the lyrics for the songs in “Face in
the Crowd,” which will be released
by Warner Bros.

Glazer thought that, generally,
not enough attention was paid on
the Coast to the question of scor¬
ing. “They’re mostly concerned
with the individuals and their back¬
grounds,” he said. “They use
mostly people from the Continent,
and the scoring is along the classi¬
cal, symphonic line. It’s alright, of
course, but not overly original.” *

PAT BALLARD’S R’N’R
- BUYS FROM HEFTY BEAL

While en route from Florida,
cleffer Pat Ballard bought a cata¬
log of rockabilly tunes from Hefty
’Beal, Savannah (Ga.), songsmith,
and plans to go into immediate
production on a set of independent
r&r masters.

“If you want money out of the
music biz there’s no use trying to
sell top hats when the demand is
for sport caps,” Ballard, “and
three-fourths Of the nation’s record
b.uyef-s are on .‘strike against musi¬
cally arranged; Material. The slick
album$. sell to .the .other fourth and
anybody who wants pop loot is silly
to pretend that nayne writers, per-”
formers and top labels impress the
kids with the money to spend. If
it ‘ain’t got that sound it won’t get
off the ground’.”

Ballard has a couple of aggrega¬
tions under option to turn out the
master tapes.

Sonny James’ 5,000 Draw
Plus a Fireman's Badge

Ottawa, April 30.

Sonny James, Alabarna - born
singer Of the Capitol hit, “Young
Love,” got an honorary member¬
ship in the Ottawa Fire Dept, here
last week (24). In return he dedi¬
cated a number, “My God Is Real,”
to the hose brigade. He, Johnny
Cash, Carl Perkins and station
CFRA Happy Wanderers drew
5,000 to the Coliseum here at $2.50
top.

Not generally known is that
James, who’ll be 27 tomorrow
(Wed.), was a front-line sergeant
with the U. S. Army for 15 months
in ’51-’52.

56

MUSIC

Pfifwsfr

Vedneaday, May 1 , 1957

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

usssnaff

MUSIC

57

Inside Stuff-Music

Upcoming issue of Life, with picture story on Budapest Quartet,
marks 'another coup by Columbia Records’ Debbie Ishlon and Eleanor
Morrison. It follows previous mag stores on Glpnn Gould, New York
Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein and other, longhair personalities.
Yarns on serious music are generally regarded as havinjg little interest
for the average reader and chamber music, of course, has a limited
esoteric following, hard-core and devoted, relatively small." Budapesters
are the top quartet in the business, the leading box-office foursome
since their U.S. debut In 1930.- Gjon Mill, Lifotographer, lensed the
quartet in Yakiifla, Wash, and Missoula, Mont., in addition to eastern
dates, to make the pic yarn.

Audio Fidelity is gqing on a Latino binge In a tieup with the
Musart firm of Mexico. Audio Fidelity will reproduce the Musart
catalog for U.$. release at $3.98 per 12-inch LP. Initial Musart" re¬
leases include: “Paso Dobles” (Bullfight music); “El Tango Argentino”;
“Ritmo Sabroso” arid “Rico Cha Cha Cha,” the last two by the Ramon
Marquez orch. The next group, scheduled for release during the next
few months includes: “Viva Mexico,” “Augustin Lara Plays Augustin
Lara,” “Fantasia. Carioca,” “Guitar Classics” and “Music From The
Tropics.” About 50 other albums are currently in production, for re¬
lease through the fall t and winter'seasdns. ~

--

With an eye to the continually growing importance of album covers
in the packaged goods market, Coral Records is issuing a special
color catalog called Colorama. In addition to the listings and photos
of the 117 12-inch.LPs in the Coral catalog, the booklet also contains
a complete listing of all available EP sets as well as a listing of the
Coral Silver StaF Series (bestselling singles). The Colorama is now
being shipped to dealers around the country.

The musical’ Score for the forthcoming United Artists pic, “Bayou,”
will be handled by Miller Music, one of the Big Three companies.
Dick Noel already lias cut the title song for the Fraternity label.
Score was written by Edward I. Fessler, who also co-directed the film.

(Continued on page .60)

Finalists in Neapolitan
Song Fest Irk Also-Rans

Rome, April 30.

A hassle of unexpected dimen¬
sions has broken out in the Italo
music biz following the announce¬
ment of finalists''in the . upcoming
Neapolitan Song Festival. Event,
which takes place May 14-16,. is
considered the world series of the
Neapolitan song, and serves as an
important springboard for new
tunes.

Trouble developed when the
jury of eight newsmen and mu¬
sicians announced the titles of the
20 songs admitted to the finals.
Five were by the same author,
Rendine (a wellknbwn local tune-
smith), while four more were also
written by a single person, and
three others likewise were from
the'pen of one author, leaving only
eight “single” finalists.

The multitude of also-rans, in¬
cluding several distinguished
names in the field, seized on this
factor for a^Collective protest, add¬
ing cries of rigging, etc. Letters
have already begun, pouring into
RAI-TV officer

Jacques Singer, director of the
Corpus Christi (Texas) Symphony
Orchestra, will be guest conductor
next season at Havana; Philhar¬
monic Jan. .20, and at Rochester,
Philharmonic, Feb. 27.

H wood Still Romancing Title Songs
For Disk Tieups and Plugging Values

Dr, List to Europe

For Westminster

Dr. Kurt List, musicai director
at Westminster Records, leaves for
Europe Saturday (4) to supervise
overseas recording sessions for the
label. # He’s taking along several
Westminster recording engineers
to work with him : on sessions
scheduled in London, Paris and
Vienna.

Dr. List’s emphasis will be
placed on Westminster’s stereo-
tape line. He’ll be gone about
three months.

D.J. Subs March in D.C.

Washington, April 30.

A last-minute cancel-out by Hal
March on Friday (26) caused the
Washington Newspaper Guild to
substitute Jackson Weaver, WMAL
disk jockey, as emcee of the an¬
nual Front Page Ball.

Other .entertainers included
Nejla Ates and jazz pianist Eddie
Haywood.

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.... 1

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3

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k

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“Little Dartin'”.:.

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“Rapnd and Round”.

.... 2

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9

5

6

* •

6

8

3

4

2

3

7

6

3

1

5

103

4

10

CHUCK BERRY (Chess) 7

“School Daya”....

8

7

3

4

1

1

6

2

4

6

4-

9

10

78

5

4

DELL-VIKINGS (Dot)

“Come, Go With Me”....

.... 7

2

5

2 *

5

4

7

5

2

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69

6

6

EATS DOMINO (Imperial)

“I'm Walkin'”... .

6

4

7

7

2

4

4

6

8

1

61

7

6

FERLIN HUSKEY (Capitol)

. “Gene”..

.... 3

5

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9

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9

5

7

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7

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54

8

5

BUDDY KNOX (Roulette)

“Party Doll”.:...

• * • • 5

8.

9

4

..

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9

3

6

2

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50

9

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PAT BOONE (Dot)

“Why; Baby, Why”.

*

.... 9

8

7

9

8

10

..

7

6

3

5

10

39

10

8

HARRY BELAFONTE (Victor)
“Mama, Look at Bubu”. t --

.... 10

6

5

4

9

2

7

34

11A

10

STEVE LAWRENCE (Coral)
“Party Doll'*:.. ..

....

7

8

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6

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11B

20

JIMMY DORSEY (Fraternity)

“So Rare”.....

7

2

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8

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JO

13

12

ANDY WILLIAMS (Cadence)
“Butterfly” .

6

9 .

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4

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14

15

TAB HUNTER.'(Dot)

“Ninety-Nine Ways”.

9

10

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15

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PLATTERS (Mercury)

“I’m Sorry”.

8

5

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GUY. MITCHELL (Columbia)
“Rock-A-Billy” .

5

10

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TARRIERS (Glory)

“The Banana Boat Song”. .

1

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BONNIE GUITAR (Dot)

VDark Moon”.

6

5

18B

18

MARTY ROBBINS (Columbia) —
“A White Sport Coat”.

6

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20 A

KEN COPELAND (Imperial)
“Pledge of Love”.

......

9

8

8

9

10

20B 13

LITTLE RICHARD (Specialty)
“Lucille” ....

9 10

20C 20

COASTERS-CAtco)
“Searching” ..._

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“I'm Walkin' 1 ”...........

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TOMMY SANDS (Capitol)
“Teen-Age Crush”_....

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CHARLIE GRACIE (Cameo)

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CALYPSO
Harry Balafonle

Victor
LPM 1248
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LOVE fS

AN EVENING

MY FAIR LADY

AROUND THE

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STEADY DATE

ELVIS

OKLAHOMAI

THE THING

WITH

WORLD IN

Elvis Proslty

BELAFONTi

■roadway Cast

•0 PAYS

Film Soundtrack

Tommy Sands

'Film Soundtrack

N«r (Kinf) Cola

Harry lalafaitta

Film Soundtrack

Capitol

Tann. Ernia Ford

Capitol

Victor

Capitol

Capitol

Victor

Columbia

Decca

W 740

Capitol

SAO 5&3

W 824

LPM 1402

OL 6090

DL 9046

EAP 740

T 756

T 848

LPM 1382

SDM 595

4- Hollywood’s romance with title
songs is blooming again. Aim, of
course, is tci grab that disk tieup
and work for a click that’ll help
the promotional values of the pic.

The diskers, too, for the most
part are going along by putting the
titlers into the groove hoping that
the plug values of the -film will ex¬
pedite disk jockey exposure.

Newest wrinkle in getting the
titlers on wax is to cull a theme
\iFom the background score to make
up a pop single. Alex North has
done it with his theme for “The
“Bachelor Party” and Kenyon Hop¬
kins with his theme music from
“The Strange One” and “12 Angry
Men.” Other fresh angle is getting
the composers themselves to put
their works into the groove. North
has done it for RCA Victor while
Hopkins is cutting for Cadence.

The studio bosses, however,
haven’t entirely discounted the
value of getting a title song written
especially for the film. They either
insert the tune in the story or
have it run off with the credits at
the beginning of the film.

On the way are such picture-
song ties as “Boys On a Dolphin,”
“Island In The Sun,” “China
Gate,” “Man On Fire” and “A Face
In The Crowd.”

British Disk Sales Sear
So Everyone Getting Into
Retail Act as $ Sideline

London, April 23.

British disk sales, which soared
to unprecedented heights last year
and look set to shatter the new
record by the end of 1957, are
tempting everyone to get in on the
act. Drug stores, dairy chain stores,
tobacconists and photographic con¬
cerns are all trying to edge their
way into the money spinning busi¬
ness. \

One of Britain’s oldest chain of
photographic studies are remodel¬
ing the whole pattern of their busi¬
ness to embrace the platter field.
Polyfoto, a subsidiary of the Dufay
concern, have a heavy schedule
planned for the future conversion
of 20 of their major studios
throughout the country. Already,
four of their key shops In London
are selling disks as well as por¬
traits.

The first td open last September
in the Strand, has trebled its busi¬
ness. Customers buying $2.80
worth of disks are given a voucher
entitling them to a reduction
on any pictures they have taken
in a Polyfoto studio. Now they’ve
opened another store on Piccadilly,
where they also operate a theatre
ticket counter, but as yet, has not
been equipped as a photographic
studio.

Negotiations are also under way
by a large chain of dairy stores to
retail platters, and many smaller
concerns, representing practically
all fields -of retailing are eyeing
disk selling prospects.

Salisbury Not Only
Dry. But Tone Deaf

--—;-jj- l __

Salisbury, jjrass., April 30.

This nbw completely dry seaside
community turned a deaf ear to
music this week.

Some 300 residents had signed
a petition to. appropriate $10,000
for a bandstand and $16,000 to
support musical programs, but the
measure was deferred indefinitely
at a special town meeting when
only 175 persons showed up.

The town voted dry in the last
election, killing the night spots
that dominated the beach strip
last season. Only club planning
to open this summer is the
Frolics, 1,200-seater which has
played big name singers for the
past several seasons. Owner Den-
nie Mulcahey plans to open under
the same name policy. this year
despite the dry atmosphere.

Ive*’ Decca Longie

Burl Ives has inked another long¬
term deal with Decca Records. He’s
been with the label for the past
13 years'.

Diskery cuts Ives for tht pop,
folk and kidisk markets.

56

MUSIC

PSRSSfr

ITednegday, May 1 , 1957

Maihis.Columbia, .tit’s Not for Me to £

•esley.Victor..... tPeace in the Valley

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

MUSIC

57

Inside Stuff—Music

Upcoming issue of Life, with picture story on Budapest Quartet,
marks another coup by Columbia Records' Debbie Ishlon and Eleanor
jVlorrison. It follows previous mag stores on Glenn Gould, New York
philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein and other longhair personalities.
Yarns on serious music are generally regarded as having little interest
for the average reader and chamber music, of course, has a limited
esoteric following, hard-core and devoted, relatively small.' Budapesters
are the top quartet in the business, the leading box-office foursome
since' their U.S. debut in 1930.. Gjon Mill, Lifotographer, lensed the
nuartet in Yafldifia, Wash, and Missoula, Mont., in addition to eastern
dates, to make the pic yarn.

Audio Fidelity is going on a Latino binge in a tieup with the
Musart firm of Mexico. Audio Fidelity will reproduce the Musart
catalog for U.{5. release at $3.98 per 12-inch LP. Initial Musart' re¬
leases include: “Paso Dobles” (Bullfight music); “El Tango.Argentino”;
“Ritmo Sabroso” and “Rico Cha Cha Cha,” the last two by the Ramon
Marquez orch. The next group, scheduled for release during the next
few months includes: “Viva Mexico,” “Augustin Lara Plays Augustin
Lara,” “Fantasy Carioca,” “Guitar Classics” and “Music From The
Tropics.” About 50 other albums are currently in production for re¬
lease through the fall.and winter'seasons. "

With an eye to the continually growing importance of album covers
In the packaged goods market, Coral Records is issuing a special
color catalog called Coloraraa. In addition to the listings and photos
of the 117 12-inch.LPs in the Coral catalog, the booklet also contains
a complete listing of all available Ep sets as well as a listing of the
Coral Silver Star Series (bestselling singles). The Colorama is now
being shipped to dealers around the country. ‘ .

The musical score for the forthcoming United Artists pic, “Bayou,”
will be handled by ^m ler Music, one of the Big Three companies.
Dick Noel already has cut the title song for the Fraternity label.
Score was written by Edward I. Fessler, who also co-directed the film.

(Continued on page .60)

Finalists in Neapolitan
Song Fest Irk Also-Rans

Rome, April 30.

A hassle of unexpected dimen¬
sions has broken out in the Italo
music biz following the announce¬
ment of finalists-^in the . upcoming
Neapolitan Song Festival. Event,
which takes place ■ May 14-16,. is
considered the world series of the
Neapolitan song, ’ and serves as an
important springboard for new
tunes.

Trouble developed when the
jury of eight newsmen and mu¬
sicians announced the titles of the
20 songs admitted to the finals.
Five were by the same author,
Rendine (a wellknown local tune-
smith), while four more were also
written by a tingle person, and
three .other* likewise were from
the 'pen of one author, leaving only
eight “single” finalists.

The multitude of also-rans, in¬
cluding several distinguished
names in the field, seized on this
factor for a^collective protest, add¬
ing cries of rigging, etc. Letters
have already begun, pouring into
RAI-TV offices

Jacques Singer, director of the
Corpus Christ! (Texas) Symphony
Orchestra, will be guest conductor
next season at Havana; Philhar¬
monic Jan. .26, and at Rochester,
Philharmonic, Feb. 27.

H wood Still Romancing Title Songs
For Disk Tieups and Plugging Values

Dr, List to Europe

For Westminster

Dr, Kurt List, musicai director
at Westminster Records, leaves for
Europe Saturday (4) to supervise
overseas recording sessions for the
label. He's taking along several
Westminster recording engineers
to work with him on sessions
scheduled in London, Paris and
Vienna.

Dr. List’s emphasis will be
placed on Westminster’s stereo¬
tape line. He’ll be gone about
three montjhs.

D.J. Subs March in D.C,

Washington, April 30.

* A last-minute cancel-out by Hal
March on Friday (26) caused the
Washington Newspaper Guild to
substitute Jackson Weaver, WMAL
disk jockey, as emcee of the an¬
nual Front Page Ball.

Other .entertainers included
Nejla Ates and Jazz pianist Eddie
Haywood.

RETAIL DISK AND ALBUM REST SELLERS

Survey of retail disk best
sellers based on reports ob¬
tained from leading stores in
20 cities and shouting com¬
parative sales rating for this
and last toeefc.

National
Rating
This Last

wk. wk. Artist, Label, Title

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DIAMONDS (Mercury)’

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3

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PERRY COMO (Victor)

“Round and Round”.

.. 2

3

9

5

6

6

8

3

4

2

3

7

6

3

1

5

103

4

10

“ CHUtfK BERRY (Chess) “

“School Daya”..

.. 8

7

3

4

#

1

1

6

2

4

6

4-

9

10

78

5

4

DELL-VIKINGS (Dot)

“Come, Go With Me”...

.. 7

2

5

..

2

..

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..

4

7

'5

2

2

69

6

6

PATS DOMINO (Imperial)

“I'm Walkin'”.

.. 6

4

7

7

2

4

4

6

8

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61

7

6

FERLIN HUSKEY (Capitol)

. “Gone”..

.. 3

5

,1

9

6

..

9

5

7

7

4

54

8

5

BUDDY KNOX (Roulette)

“Party Doll”..:...

.. 5

8

9

4

..

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9

3

6

2

..

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50

9

9

PAT BOONE (Dot)

“Why; Baby, Why”.

•

.. 9

8

7

9

8

10

..

7

6

3

5

10

39

io

8

HARRY BELAFONTE (Victor)
“Mama, Look at Bubu”....

.. 10

6

5

4

„

9

2

7

34

11A

10

STEVE LAWRENCE (Coral)

“Party Doll”:.

..

7

8

5

5 ..

6

5

30

11B

20.

JIMMY DORSEY (Fraternity)

“So Rare”....

7

2

4

8

4

30

13

12

ANDY WILLIAMS (Cadence)
“Butterfly” .

6

9

*

4

6

_19

14

15

TAB HUNTER (Dot)

“Ninety-Nine Ways”.

9

10

6...

6

8

__16

15

.23

PLATTERS (Mercury)

“I'm Sorry”.....

8

5

v ;

■ • 4

9

_15

16A

GUY. MITCHELL (Columbia)
“Rock-A-Billy” ..

5

10

_5_

> j

1

13

16B

TARRIERS (Glory)

“The Banana Boat Song”. .

1

8

_13

18A

23

BONNIE GUITAR (Dot)

“Dark Moon”.

6

5

’~ r

J.1

18B

*8

MARTY ROBBINS (Columbia) —
“A White Sport Coat”.

6

5

_11

20

KEN COPELAND (Imperial)
“Pledge of Love”..

9

8

8

9

_10

20B

13

LITTLE RICHARD (Specialty)
“Lucille” .

8

6

9

_10

20C_

20

COASTERS (Atco)

“Searching”.

1

_10

20D

20

RICKY NELSON (Verve)

“I'm Walkin’..

1

_10

24 _

18

TOMMY SANDS (Capitol)
“Teen-Age Crush”...

...

3

10

_9

25

14

CHARLIE GRACIE (Cameo)
“Butterfly”'...

7

10

9

_7

1

2

3

4

ft

f

7

8

9

CALYPSO

LOVE ff

AN EVENING

MY FAIR LADY

AROUND THE

KING AND 1

HYMNS

STEADY DATE

ELVIS

harry Bofafaala

THE THING

WITH

•ELAFONTf

■roadway Cast

WORLD IN
•ODAYS

Film Soundtrack

Tommy Sands

Elvis Presley

Victor

Nar (Kin*) Col*

Harry Rafafanta

Film Soundtrack

Capitol

Tonn. Ernlo Ford

Capitol

Victor

LPM 1248

Capitol

Victor

Columbia

Decca

W 740

Capitol

EPA 1249

W82*

LPM 1402

OL 5090

DL 9046

EAP 740

T 756

T 848

LPM 1382

10

OKLAHOMAI
Film Soundtrack
Capitol
SAO 595
SDM 595

+ Hollywood’s romance with title
songs is blooming again. Aim, of
course, isr td grab that disk tieup
and work-for a click that’ll help
the promotional values of the pic.

The diskers, too, for the most
part are going along by putting the
titlers into the groove hoping that
the plug values of the -film will ex¬
pedite disk jockey exposure.

Newest wrinkle in getting the
titlers on wax is to cull a theme
from the background score to make
up a pop single. Alex North has
done it with his theme for “The
“Bachelor Party” and Kenyon Hop¬
kins with his theme music from
“The Strange One” and “12 Angry
Men.” Other fresh angle is getting
the composers themselves to put
their works into the groove. North
has done it for RCA Victor while
Hopkins is cutting for Cadence.

The studio bosses, however,
haven’t entirely discounted the
value of getting a title song written
especially for the film. They either
insert the tune in the story or
have it run off with the credits at
the beginning of the film.

On the way are such picture-
song ties as “Boys On a Dolphin,”
“Island In The Sun,” “China
Gate,” “Man On Fire” and “A Face
In The Crowd.”

British Disk Sales Soar
So Everyone Getting Into
Retail Act as $ Sideline

London, April 23.

British disk sales, which soared
to unprecedented heights last year
and look set to shatter the new
record by the end of 1957, are
tempting everyone to get in on the
act. Drug stores, dairy chain stores,
tobacconists and photographic con¬
cerns are all trying to edge their
way into the money spinning busi¬
ness. \

One of Britain’s oldest chain of
photographic studies are rem<?del-
ing the whole pattern of theif busi¬
ness to embrace the platter field.
Polyfoto, a subsidiary of the Dufay
concern, have a heavy schedule
planned for the future conversion
of 20 of their major studios
throughout, the country. Already,
four of flieir key shops in London
are selling disks as well as por¬
traits.

The first to open last September
in the Strand, has trebled its busi¬
ness. Customers buying $2,80
worth of disks are given a voucher
entitling them to a reduction
on any pictures they have taken
in a Polyfoto studio. Now they’ve
opened another store on Piccadilly,
where they also operate a theatre
ticket counter, but as yet, has not
been equipped as a photographic
studio.

Negotiations are also under way
by a large chain of dairy stores to
retail platters, and many smaller
concerns, representing practically
all fields of retailing are eyeing
disk selling prospects.

Salisbury Not Only
Dry] But Tone Deaf

-1-ji—/ .■

Salisbury, jjrass., April 30.

This now completely dry seaside
community turned a deaf ear to
music this week.

Some 300 residents had signed
a petition to appropriate $10,000
for a bandstand and $16,000 to
support musical programs, but the
measure was deferred’ indefinitely
at a special town meeting when
only 175 persons showed up.

The town voted dry in the last
election, killing the night spots
that dominated the beach strip
last season. Only club planning
to open this summer is the
Frolics, 1,200-seater which h^s
played big name singers for the
past several seasons. Owner Den-
nie Mulcahey plans to open under
the same name policy. this year
despite the dry atmosphere.

Ives' Decca Longie

Burl Ives has inked another long¬
term deal with Decca Records. He’s
been with the label for the past
13 years'.

Diskery cuts Ives for th« pop,
folk and kidisk markets.

MUSIC

Small Combo Reviews

DREX BROOME ORCH (4)

Hotel President, Kansas City

In its current booking.of a musi¬
cal combo into !

Room, the Hotel President has
reached out for a group new to the
spot. Drex Broome has led a group
for a number of years* largely in
more western and southern areas.
In here originally for four weeks,
crew looks to stay eight or 10, be¬
fore moving on to a date already
set in June at the Antlers Hotel,
Colorado Springs..

Music is generally along stand¬
ard lines with emphasis on med¬
leys and the established tunes.
There's versatility in the instru¬
mentation with Broome handling !
the reeds and flute, Wally Frazee]
on trumpet, Bobby Wade on drums
and .Henry Kendall on piano. At 1

times Broome uses a Hammond in¬
stead of piano, but for this intime
room the piano is the choice. Lead

phrase and Kendall comes in for
some expert fingerings at times.

Vocally there is some trio work
with Broome, Frazee and Wade
joining in, and Broome takes a
solo on uptempo types from time
to time. Instrumentally they throw
in Latin or dixieland.if the crowd
takes to it, and generally keep the
music at pleasnt pitch in the room.
Quin,

JULIUS PESKAN ORCH (4)

Hotel Muehlebach, Kansas City

The. Muehlebach is continuing
the policy of gypsy music which it
installed in its Cafe Picardy some

UAniEfr

time ago, holding forth presently
with Julius Peskan and his unit in
the street-level room. The unit is
in town for the first time,' coming
from Chi, and previously worked
in Canadian spots.

Peskan handles the fiddling, Mi¬
chael Horvat is at the piano, Nor¬
man Goldie on electric guitar and
Andrew Goldie on string bass.

: While 4he CMWAPuts the emphasis
oh the"feyp^rhythms, backing up
Peskan’s violin, they round out the
evening with. Latins, standards,
pops, musical comedy tunes and
even some light classicals. Much
of . their work is dinner music,' but
N on weekends they put up the tunes
for dancing. They are an able
crew. Quin .

Weinstroer Coasting

Norm Weinstroer, Coral Records’
general sales manager, left for the
Coast Sunday (281 for an o:o, of his
distribution setup in Los Angeles,
San Francisco find Seattle.

He’ll be gone about 10 days.

•G'N

Tin Pan’s Spring Song—
To Europe We Will Go’

The . spring wanderlust has
caught up with the music business.'
A flock of Tin Pan Allfeyites al¬
ready booked passage to England
and the Continent to 6.6. the music
biz scene there, and get back home
before June 20 when the tourist
season begins.

Leadingn the peregrinations this
week is publisher Loir Levy, who
leaves-today (Wed.) for his Lon¬
don-based Leeds Enterprises and
confabs with his chiefs there—Sal
Chianti and " Cyril Simons. Also
skedded. for European junkets are
Herman Starr, boss of" the War¬
ner,.. Bros. firms; * Dick Volter of
Shapiro-Bernstein; Sid Goldberg,
Deqca Records sales chief, and Is
Horowitz, head of Decca’s classical
department. Jack Mills and his.
biz manager Mack Stark, making
his first overseas hop, already in
London.

life

OF THE WEEK

Continued from pare 53
to individual musicians, either in
the form of diverted wage hikes
or re-use fees from the sale of old
film features to tv. Reruse fees
formerly went to individual mu¬
sicians! concerned in the scoring of
the pix in question; in June, 1955,
they were switched to the Trust
Fund.

Opiniomby the District Court of
Appeal knocked out the contention
that Rosenbaum’s unavailability
ended jurisdiction in this Court.
“The only impediment to the exer¬
cise of jurisdiction,”-said the opin¬
ion, “appears to be the unwilling¬
ness (to appear) of Rosenbaum
who, though probably an indispen¬
sable party in a general sense, has
no apparent interest in the litiga¬
tion except his own fees.” This,
the judges added, is because actu¬
al control of the Trust Fund Is
“tightly held” by the AFM.

“Considerations of practical jus¬
tice,” opinion concluded, “may not
be. ignored. The r convenience of all
real parties in interest would be
promoted by completion of the liti¬
gation in this jurisdiction where'
they reside and where most of. the.
witnesses and documentary evi¬
dence seem to be available.”

AFM now has 15 days in which
to seek a rehearing or 60 days in
which to appeal to the California
Supreme Court. Latter move is
considered most likely since 'both
, sides have admitted, ever since the
litigation originally was . filed,, that
the issue would eventually have to
go all the way up to the U. S. Su¬
preme Court.

Tooters’ Third Suit.

Hollywood, April 30.

Musicians affiliated with Local
47 today (Tues.) filed" a third suit
in which they ask an injunction to
prevent the parent American Fed¬
eration of Musicians from taking
any punitive action against either
a musician or a producer who is
involved in making tv films with¬
out paying the 5% royalty to the
Music Performance Trust Fund.

Demand'for an injunction is part
of a $2,100,000 action brought
against the Federation and some
66 tv film producers. The mone¬
tary damages sought represent
what’s allegedly been lost by the
suing musicians so far Jo the Trust
Fund. Plaintiffs contend that the
Fund’s. 5% royalty formula lias
been responsible for pricing them
out of work because 90% of all
telefilms use canned music.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

MINNEAPOLIS SYMPHONY
REALLY HITTING STICKS

Minneapolis, April 30 .

In its first venture abroad' and
What;, will be the longest trip ever
taken by any U. S. orchestra, the
Minneapolis. Symphony, orchestra
next fall will tour the Near East
and Mediterranean arda.

Tour has been arranged in co¬
operation with tnd International
Exchange/program -of State Dept,
administered' by the American Na¬
tional Theatre and Academy,

Initial' appearance is scheduled
in Palermo; Italy, Sept. 5, to be fol¬
lowed by concerts at the Athena
festival. :

Itinerary will include Turkey, Iraq,
Iran; India, Pakistan, • Syria, Leba¬
non, North Africa andsSpain. The
orchestra, numbering 100' musi¬
cians, will return to the TJ. S. in
late October.-

In many of the aforementioned
countries and in some cities it’ll be
the first Western orchestra ever to
be heard. Antal Dorati, its regular
conductor, will be on the podium.

Rirdland Unit Low 20G
For 3 in Frisco Area

San Francisco, April 30.

“Blrdland Stars, of 1957,” reas¬
sembled here Saturday (27) with
Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan,
Count Basie and others, grossed
approximately $20,000 in three
performances in the Berkeley
Community Theatre and the San
Francisco Opera House.

The take was disappointing in
view of the potential gate of $45,-
000. A $4.75 top prevailed. Show
played during the hottest two days
of the year which, killed the door
sale. Sunday matinee drew less
than 900 paid admissions.

Sandor Salgo to conduct the “St.
Matthew Passion” at the Carmel
Bach Festival. July 15-21.

BOY

DOLPHIN

TRUE LOVE GONE

(Com* On Horn*)
Sensationally Recorded by

• BETTY MADIGAN

on Coral

, • THE ENCHANTERS

on Coral

MILLS MUSIC, INC.

MUSIC HIT of Hie SEASON

Top Muile 8hep—Weiteheater, wall eitabllihed
Modern fixture*. equipment and floor layout.
Nat'I Dlitr. of Shoot Mutla and Raoordt.
Brand Namo Initrumanti anly. Exaallant Ita¬
lian. Valuma 1100,000. Rental $570. Favor*
ablo laa*o. Only 135.000 ,aah needed.
COUNTY BUSINESS EXCHANGE, Ine.
142 No. Central Ave., Hartsdale, N.Y.
WHIte Plains 1-0111

GERRY MULLIGAN

QUARTETTE

Started European Tour April 27, Including
BRITISH ISLES, SCAN DAN AVI A, GERMANY
and HOLLAND

Recording* for MERCURY and PACIFIC JAZZ

ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION

JOE GLASER P re.s
rU ' | Chicago

Hollywood

8iS I 9 Sun,, r Hlvd.

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

AJ&meJt

IN DEMAND
ACROSS THE LAND!

Dinah’s newest:

THE CATTLE CALL
PROMISES, PROMISES

47/20-6897

COOTIE WILLIAMS PLEASE GIVE YOUR LOVE TO ME

-47/20-6899

TONY MARTIN

f §£ A T fCD < FR0M THE NEW BROADWAY

LWA M I' Eft hit, “NEW GIRL IN TOWN")

MAIL, MAIL, THERE AIN’T NO MAIL

47/20-6888

HUGO WINTERHALTER

THEME FROM “NEW GIRL IN TOWN”
IT'S GOOD TO BE ALIVE (F S &1SS RL

mi inn i nA8. MAMA GUITAR

JULIUS LaROSA man to man

47/20-6878

J

AND TODAY'S
FASTEST-SELLING HIT!

FOUR WALLS

l

M REIVES

1 KNOW AND YOU KNOW

47/20-6874

RCAViCTOR

Tmh(i)a T RADIO CORPORATION OFAMERICA

MUSIC

tastier?

Wednesday, May 1 , 1957

RETAIL SHEET BEST SELLERS

IT’S UKEGETTIN’
A DONKEY TO
GALLOP

HOW MANY STARS
HAVE TO SHINE?

(Decca 9-30274)

CARMEN McRAE

Carmen's version of contrastlua cou¬
pling displays the sensational singing
versatility which have made her so
popular- Her entry to thp Calypso
craze Is a knock-out rendition of
"Donkey." Second side; Carmen,
comes into her own with smooth bal¬
lad, "How Many Stars." It's her sense
of styling that makes this gal topsl

TAMMY

(Ftom Universal-International
-Picture

"TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR")

DON’T KEER SILENT

(T.ll M. So)

(Decca 9-30317)

PAT KIRBY

The personable Pat lends her sing¬
ing know-how to smash moody title
song from now U-l pic. Pat's smooth
delivery Insures big play, - big Saifs,
big hit. Watch for fast- reaction at
all points fo both sides 1

.IT’SGOODTO.BE.

ALIVE

(From Musical Production,
"New Girl in Town")

BElOOD

(To Me)

(Decca 9-30326 )

obtained IkMinff-storeiffn^:
fcv - .12 ' cities^dnd showing coyfe
Jpatatiue "idles tdivng for this
and'last week.

* ASCAP ' + BMI

National
Rating
This Last

wlc. wk. Title and Publisher

f Round and Round (Rush).......

tAll Shook Up (Presley-Shalimar).
tMarianne (Montclare)..........

t Almost Paradise (Peer)... ....

fButterfly (Hill & Range)..
tWhy, Baby, Why (Winneton)....

tLittle Darlin" (Excelloric).......

f Chantez, Chantez (Chantez).

fParty Doll (Jackie)....

fDark Moon (Dandelion)-

fWind in the Willow (Broadcast).
tNinety-Nine Ways (Maryland)...

IGone (Hill & Rapge).. ...

♦Do 1 Love. You (Williamson)_

tTeen-Agre Crush ’ (Central)......

B y 2
& ?

sad-.

1 ‘ 3 - I 2
1 l a 1

if 1

T21

4 .. 8

8 .. 2

9 10 3

6 . T"

5 7

2 4

i :* l

1 I a
■& l i

2 1 1

4- 4 4

1 .. 2
3 7 6

7 5 3

5 2 5

191 108
5 2 4 68
2 7 6 65
45., 51

12 41

3 6 8 32

3 5 10
.. 9 ..
.> 16

♦ ■. 27/

3 5 25

9 22

Concert Review

Music for Moderns

(TOWN HALL, N.Y.)

"Music for Moderns,” a new
concert series impresarioed by
Anahid Ajemian, concert Violinist,
and her husband, George Avakian,
Columbia recording exec, preemed
Sunday night (28) at Town Hall.
This enterprising four - concert
parade aims to combine contem¬
porary serious music with jazz,
The teeoff menu featured Dimitri
Mitropoulos maestroing a* chamber
orch of 15 N.Y. Philharmonic side-
men, with Miss Ajemian soloing,
plus Dijke Ellington and his crew
taking time off from Birdland
chores to preem a new collection
of Ellingtonia, titled "Such Sweet
Thunder.”

Miss Ajemian and the Mitropou-
los-batoned orch gave the first
public New York performance of
Kurt Weill’s -Violin concerto, but
it was the Ellington opus that stole
the’‘show. The Duke, on commis¬
sion of the Stratford (Ont.) Shake¬
speare Festival, has written a dozen
tonal vignettes and caricatures, in¬
spired by characters or scenes from
the Bard’s plays. The sections

were, performed with true virtuosi¬
ty and feeling by the talented per¬
sonnel of the Ellington band. .The
pieces wore most agreeable; had a
good change of pace, several had
genuine wit-and all were executed
to perfeotidn. The Duke still is a
•master tunesmith and his pieces
had enough melodies compressed
into 35 minutes to stock a contem¬
porary opera,

Weill’s concerto is in the 12-tone
idiom and dates back to 1924, when
the composer of "Lost in the
Stars,” "Threepenny Opera” and
other hits was a composition stu¬
dent with Ferruccio Busoni. In
addition to the solo violin, bowed
magnificently by Mi^S Ajemian, the
work is scored for winds, brass and
percussion,.with a single cello and
doubfe bass. There are brief
snatches of. tunes, some syncopa¬
tion,, but in the main the work is
arid and does not hold interest.
Mitropoulos, himself a Busoni pupil
and friend of Weill, conducted with,
genuine affection and devotion to
the score and Miss Ajemian fiddled
with rare skill, but still the piece
never quite came to life.

Succeeding programs will show¬

case the Modern Jazz Quartet, John
Wummer, Virgil Thomson. Mahalia
Jackson, Martial Singher, the Chico
Hamilton Quintet and other names
from serious and jazz fields, cross¬
bred into three programs May 12,
19 and' 26. , Wien.

-Hollywood,-April 30.
Liberty' Records’ volume is i.»
175% over ‘the first' quarter of
1956, veepee jJack Ames reported
Boost is in keeping with a general
upsurge in,the disk industry.

Ames noted that the Coast indi*
has expanded ltf catalog to include
everything froin calypso to classic
cal. In line with, this expansion
firm, which jus released eight Lp’s
thus far this, year, has scheduled
seven more albums lor release i n
i: the next few'weeks jai part of the
Spring Merchandising Plan. They
include “Will . You ^Remember ”
Cyril Ornader conducing, the Lon,
don Festival $ymphohy,i plus pack,
ages from Martin '' Denny, Red
Norvo with Buddy Collette, Jerry
Gray, the JoneS Boys, Dpm Fron,
tiere and’ Jerry Colonna.

Harry James Switched
-To ‘Dry’ Spot in Dallas

Dallas, April 30.
Harry James’ band, an advance
one-nighter sellout^ here Sunday
(28) at a suburban country club
played the date-in a State Fair
building in Fair Park. Switch was
made due to Continual rains last
week that Surrounded the club¬
house with water apd flooded the
ballroom Friday (26), after an
added five-inclf downpour*
Original site had an apropos
* title: Riverlake Country Club.

SYLVIA SYMS

Miss Syms gives another socko per¬
formance on new Decca release. From
musical production of "New Girl In
Town" she delivers the beautiful!)
melodic "It's Good to Be Alive" with
unusual gusto and enthusiasm. Cou¬
pling equally appealing. Score this
another Syms sensation!

DECCA

m /Vow World of Sound...

Inside Stuff-Music

Continued from page 57 —^

In a push oh its country & western catalog, ASCAP has issued a
63-page program guide tagged “Country & Western Music.” The
guide is being sent to all ASCAP licensed radio and-tv program'
directors. It contains over 1,000 recordings of the c&w field. In addi¬
tion to pops and novelties, the guide has a special section of c&w
music for the concert hall. The listing includes such works as Aaron
Copland’s “Billy the Kid,” Morton Gould’s "Fall River Legend” and
Ferde Grofe’s “Death Valley Suite,”

In a further buildup of its tape line, RCA Victor is putting into
market this week three more .stereophonic, tapes. This brings Victor’s
tape library up to 36 dte^s/all^h t^| :&#!w4K?'field.

Current releases liiflUpa.t^o^.^apes^l^^Fwiw Reiner conducting the
Vienna Philharmonir Gfcliestra^and dfier by ^Charles Mufich conduct¬
ing the Boston Symphony. The' : Reiner tapes are the first in Victor’s
hew agreement with English Decca;

Coral Records has acquired the masters of Jean Martin’s “Yum,
Yum Yummy” and “Another Door Opens” from Oklahoma Records,
indie .label owned by music publisher Howie- Richmond. Bob Thiele,
Coral’s pop artists & repertoire chief, ha? set release of the tunes
under the Coral banner for May 6. The sides were issued by Okla¬
homa during the first week of April.

Gene Norman Presents, hitherto a label devoted solely to jazz disk¬
ing, moves into the classical field this “week with a special LP disk¬
ing of a full orchestra conducted by Elmer Bernstein, He’ll cut a
hitherto-unrecorded work by composer Paul Hindemith. Meanwhile',
Norman’s Coast pubbery, Skyview Music, also racks up a “first.” It
will publish the Les Baxter score from the Bel-Air film “Pharaoh’s
Curse,” marking its entry into the pic score field,

American Heritage Foundation has selected Gerald Marks’ “When
You Reach The Age of Twenty-One” as the best song in the 1956
National Non-Partisan Register, Inform Yourself and Vote Program.
Award is a 12 x 18 reproduction of the illustration “George Washing¬
ton The Soldier” by Arthur Szyk, and it carries a citation of apprecia¬
tion. ^

The ninth annual “Music Under The Stars” concert is set for June
19 at Ebbets Feld, Brooklyn. Concert will be for the benefit of the
America-Israel Cultural Foundation. Concert will feature both Amer¬
ican and Israeli music. Already set are the Israeli Folk dancers, under
the direction of Fred Berk.

Boston Bands

aaa Continued from page 53
style from its original superstruc¬
ture. The first floor of tile danc-
ery will be occupied by Tedeschi
Super Markets Inc., South Shore
food chain now operating three
food stores with gross sales of
$12,000,000* Property Involved
covers more than 50,000 square feet
in the heart of the town of Hull’s
business district, a blockwide area
on Nantasket, Beach. Buildings on
the ’property include the large
Ocean .Gardens building, Revere
House and Beach House*

- The transaction Is one of the
largest, Involving Hull business
property to be- made In., recent-
years, and development plans are
the most ambitions In the town’s
modern history- Town fathers de¬
scribe the Spence venture as
“something that will do for Hull
what the Prudential Development
promises to do for Boston,

Total floor area of the ballroom
will measure 22,000 square feet.
In addition to dance space there
will be individualized lounges, tv
rooms and other attractions. When
public dancing is not sponsored,
building, will be made available for
business, industry and civic meet¬
ings and social affairs requiring
luncheon and dinner service.

Jack Scott, Hingham and Rock¬
land. realtor, has been named as
manager of the new dancery*

Fast climbing the charts , ..

DON’T CRY
MY LOVE

A Great' Vocal Rendition by

VERA LYNN

on London Records (#1729)
THE B.F. WOOD MUSIC CO., INC.

* PAKN*5

Morri. Sher to WMGM |

Morris Sher, who handled the
legal angles for MGM Records, has
switched over to the N. Y. Indie 1
station, WMGM, 'as business man¬
ager. ' * :

Jack Weinstein takes over Sher’s •
duties at the diskery.

"Saturday Nightfs tha
loneliest night of tho week”

■k ;*■

Another BMI “Pin Up* Hit

THE ANGELUS

RECORDED by

the CREWCUTS

Mercury

PUBLISHED BY

RIDGEWAY MUSIC

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

fs&RiEfr

61

ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE SAW THIS
PERFORMANCE OF ‘PAJAMA GAME'... BUT MILLIONS
HAVE HEARD IT ON COLUMBIA! YEAR AFTER YEAR;

HIT AFTER HIT, THE FINEST OFFERINGS ON BROADWAY
REACH BY FAR THEIR LARGEST AUDIENCE THROUGH

ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS ON IcolumbiaBhecohds

A DIVISION OF CDS

9 "Columbia" ^ Moroit Mow,

62

VA1T1IEVI1AB

y&ftiEfr

Wednesday, May 1 , 1957

N.Y., BUyn Easter VaudeOffish
'But Better Than Straight Pix

The Easter , Y|eek yaudeyiile
spread out in; y ffl||jbatUh; tihd'
Brooklyn didn’t pan out as well as
anticipated. Except for the RoxS/
which hit an excellent jipbept a$f
the Brooklyn Paramount with Atari
Freed, most ventures didn’t bripg
in the expected wads, although
grosses • were much higher than
they would have been under the
straight pic policy.

Showmen feel that one' of the
reasons was the heavy competition
of the ..U. S. World Trade Fair
which ended Saturday (27) at the
Coliseum. This event- drew off a
lot of youngsters and parents from
Broadway. About 900,000 exclu¬
sive buyers attended this shindig.

The most .important casualty on
the street is the closing of the Lib-
erace show at the Palace on Fri¬
day (3) after only two weeks. An
eight-act vaudfilm bill moves in
Saturday for .six days and then the
house will have Friday openings.
This layout did a small $34,000 for
the first week and is expected to
wind up with $24,000 for the sec¬
ond weelf. Liberace paid for the
surrounding show which .included
brother George, Jean Fenn, Mitzi
Green, the Goofers, Francis Brunn,
Step Bros., Eddie Garson. It’s be¬
lieved that Liberace got the stand¬
ard split of 65%-35% after ex¬
penses were lopped off the top. The
candelabra kid is believed to have
lost a healthy wad.

However, the show isn’t dying
peaceably. Howls from all seg¬
ments of society are flooding news¬
papers. Many critics are getting
letters from both men and women
for having rapped their idol and
contributed, to his demise, and
those who favored the show were
kudosed by fans with kind letters.

The Roxy, which' collected $132,-
000 on the week, is believed to
have drawn the bulk pf its jdve
trade out of the engagement of
Louis Armstrong’s All Stars. Pic,'
“Boy on a Dolphin,” was gener¬
ally slammed.

The rock ’n* rollers got a mixed
reaction. Alan Freed, heading the

not

coo|dyn,

_ Lut still'heWhy
nought .... , v>i
& Er.eifl'has £eei%ocfcfcd by Harry
.evlneto '^o lntd the N'. Y. Para-

show al

hiS.preViouS
enougl

Levine'

mount for the week of July 3.

At Loew’s State, the rock ’n'
roller headed by Jocko Henderson
did only fair during its 10-day
stand. Gross for the run hovered
around $$5,000..

Loe.w’s also was disappointed by
the calypso effort at the Metropoli¬
tan, Brooklyn; which pulled in the
neighborhood-of $45f00Q tor the
run with Geoffrey Holder heading
the bill.

Overall, the amount of money,
that'was spent, in vaudfilmers was
satisfactory. However, being spread
out too thin, no killings were made.
The only major lesson is that vaude
shows when well-spaced can rake
in a lot more loot than straight pix.

WM Pads Gene Austin;
Biopic, Cafe Dates On
Tap for'ComeBacker’

Gene Austin has tied with Abe
Lastfogel for the-. William Morris
Agency to. handle hjs biopic and
some nitery personals. This is on
the heels of the “My Blue Heaven,”
songsmith and recording personal¬
ity’s telebiog of his life and songs
for “Go.odyear TV Pilayhouse” re¬
cently.

Austin has a deal with Desilu to
produce a film biog of his career
of the 1920s when his Victor rec¬
ord sales sold up to an estimated
85,000,OCX} platters.

Sinct* the telecast, Austin has
nitery bids. He has preferred to
take things easy pf late In his 50-
foot “portable mansion,” a super
trailer house which he gravitates
between Palm Springs (Calif.) and
Las Vegas. The house is noted
for its extraordinarily complete
electronic equipment and “all the
latest gadgets”.

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Belafonte’S S.F.-hAJ). C.

■' Harry Bellafonte is embarking
on .« series of concert ahd*theatre
dates during the summer. Singer
will head a show that will play the
Ope^a House, San Phrancisco, July
1 to 6, and follow with the Greek
Theatre; Angeles,' July 15 for
threa wejks.:- He’s .also been pacted
foi fhe K^Mjeri*Barron. Amphithea¬
tre, Washington, Aug. 21 to 3;.
y Other, theatre dates plus one-
nightefs ‘ are being lined up by
Music Corp. of America. Surround¬
ing talent hasn’t yet been set,

St Loo Jubilee, a 400G
Fiasco in 1958, Won’t Be
Back for Encore in ’57

St. Louis, April 30.

The MidAmerican Jubilee, ' a
30-day historical exposition that
went into the red to the extent of
$400,000 last summer, will not he
repeated this year,' according to
ah announcement last week by Ar¬
thur K. Atkinson, financial vice-
president of the sponsor, the City-
County Cavalcade. Inc. Although
the expo attracted 464,863, the loss
is still being liquidated and about
60% has been Wiped out.

Atkinson said, “In order to put
the show on again this year we’d
have to have additional capital and’
we’re still_paying old obligations.
The tifne element also is involved
and it would he impossible to start
now. The show operated with a
profit of $6,200 and that ‘includes
$150,000 lost . on the spectacle
show. MPst of the money is in
ground-sewers, pavement, lighting
and constructipn costs which were
much higher than anticipated. .We I
had a capital of $463,000 and the'
investment"was $850,000.’^

The exposition was staged' on
the local waterfront near the.
downtown district.

Back on the Grind After 10*Wk. Bump

The Platters, DeLyon
Click at London Palladium

' London; April 30.-

Rock ’n’ roll at the Palladium
produced a socko effect with the
Platters making a slam debut at
this venerable house. This bill, in
for a two-week run, was also high¬
lighted by Leo DeLyOn who scored
heavily with his comedy.

Surrounding card includes Alan
& Blanche Lund, Canadian danc-'
ers; Martin Granger Puppets, Ben¬
son Dulay & Co.> Joe Black, Vivian
Sc Tassi and the George Garden
Dancers.

4 Coins Take New Toss
In Pitt for Martha Davis

Pittsburgh, April 30.
Four Coins have agreed to a
three-week postponement of their
booking-at the Copa so that bdni-
face -‘•■Lenny Litman can bring
Martha Davis & Spouse to Pitts¬
burgh for the first time. Vocal
group had bebn inked in for June
3 but okayed* coming' in on-the
24th at Litman’s request when the
Davis-Spouse turn was only avail¬
able for the earlier date. ~

Coins, who got their start locally
on the Wilkens tv “Amateur Hour”
and hail from nearby Canonsbiirg,
Perry .iComo’s home, are Copa reg¬
ulars,-.'playing that room on an
average of three times a year.

CNE’s Holder Calypso

The Canadian National Exhibi¬
tion, Toronto, will get-a calypso
motif with the appearance of Geof¬
frey Holder who goes in with the
Bob Hope Show, Aug. 23 to Sept. 7,
Holder ' will go in with a troupe
that includes Delyn & French, Jo,
Jac & Joni and the Alcettys.

Jose Greco's N.Y. Stand

Jose Greco will ’essay a stand
at the Playhouse, N. Y., starting
May '2 for three weeks. Flamenco
dancer and his "troupe make pe?
riodic stops in N. Y., in legit
liouses. Otherwise he works the
Hotel Waldorf-Astoria in Gotham.

William Morris Agency booked;

RBfe&B'S PHILLY STAND

Philadelphia, April 30.

Ririgling Bros: and Ba.rnum &
Bailey Circus will- play a week’s
stand at Connie Mack Stadium
July 22-29, while the Phillies base¬
ball, club is on tour. The stream¬
lined' edition will- operate without
the midway it carried, along in pre¬
vious years.

The infield will be covered com¬
pletely as a precautionary measure.

By GEORGE GILBERT

Burlesque fans in the 'New York
metropolitan area have cause to re¬
joice, for that famed Baghdad-of-
the-bump in Union City, N.J.—the
Hudson Theatre—is again flburish-
ing as a palace-of-peel following
•a 10 week shutdown. The bouse
reopened last Monday (22) after
a local' businessmen’s- association
successfully petitioned the Union
City- Commission to ease two ordi¬
nances which had the effect of
banning nudity or an illusion of'
same. '

Heading the current bill is the
renowned .Tempest Storm, while
top stripper" for the reopening
frame was portiay," “The Cherokee
Half breed.” x The businessmen’s
group, comprised ; primarily of .op¬
erators of taverns, restaurants and
similar enterprises in the vicinity
of the Hi 4 dson,.protested that their
revenues nosedived after the thea¬
tre closed last February.

. Members of the association were
careful to point out that the Hud¬
son’s closure was a voluntary move
and did not stem from police ac¬
tion. Moreover;, the shutdown took
place during Lent and inclement
winter weather when the theatre’s
business- was slow snyv^ay.

However, not only was business
slow from the winter elements
prior to the house’s fold, but toned
down shows sans the familiar
bumps and grinds of yore took a
heavy toll of customers. The “no
bump” policy came about Jan. 1
when the “ho stripping” ordinances
adopted by the Union City Com¬
mission went into effect.

Shortly after the ordinances
were passed last December Sam
Cohen, manager of the Hudson,
asserted his house would be unaf¬
fected since “my shows have al¬
ways been clean.” His statement
went unchallenged by Union City
Mayor Harry J. ThoUrot who said
he agreed that this had -always
been the case at the Hudson.

At the behest of the business-

Frontier (Last) Vs. Frontier
(New) in Las Vegas Sait
To Collect $20,000 Note

Las Vegas,. April 30.
From first appearances, it looked
like one of. the multi-million, dol¬
lar resort hotels had filed a suit
against itself In District Court here
last week.

The action was brought by the
Hotel Last Frontier Corp. against
the Hew Frontier Hotel Corp., to
collect a $20,000 promissory note
executed last Feb. 1 by former New
Frontier president Louis Mahchon.
Manchon was also named a de¬
fendant in the action.

The Last Frontier is the landlord
firm which is seeking to get back
money allegedly loaned to Man¬
chon for the operation of the lessee
New Frontier group. Mahchon and
Mrs. Vera Krupp operated the
Frontier until shortly before March ;
17 when the resort’s casino and,
dining room were closed down and
the entertainment cancelled. ,

Pact Sennes Vaude For
Portland Rose Festival

Portland, Ore., April 30.

Frank Sennes has been inked by
the Portland Rose Festival Assn,
to produce the annual stage show
at the Stadium June 13-14. Sennes
has tabbed the layout “Varieties of
’57.” This is the first time in many
years that a vaude format has been
used. Bernie Kane will direct the
90-minute ozoner.

Cast so far includes the Lennon
Sisters, .the Cordolins, -Marilyn
Rich, Willie Kehoe, Trio Bassi, and
Red Dunning orch (25). Other
acts are still to fill.

men’s group a censorship commit¬
tee composed of local citizens was
set up to pasd upon ; what consti¬
tutes indecency. Fortunately fop
bpth the Hudson management .and
its patrons, the committee appears
to have liberal view#, for the re¬
opening bill with Domay could be
described as a typical modern-day
hurley-show.

’ Other strippers included Gaby
Williams, a buxom redhead, and
Niki Vela, ’ a willowy bruhette
Comedy was handled by R6d Mar¬
shall, Irving Benson and A1 Baker.
As per custom, a vaude turn was
Von hand. This time it was Negro
terper Derby Wilson. Rounding
out the bill was a six-girl line and
production singer Jack Bruno.
Paul'Motbkoff staged and directed.
George Ponzopi’s orch hacked the
show.

History of the Hudson,- inci¬
dentally, goes bh’ck some 30 years.
Veteran patrons of' the house re¬
called this week that there “never
has been any trouble” at the thea¬
tre and-it has cooperated with
church and other charities. Few
of : its customers are teenagers.
The management discourages their
attendance.

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Variety (Apr. 24) tojd—"Calloway's voice is as good
as ever, good on all note* ... all numbers drew
'^soil’d applause ... garners enthusiastic salyos."

Mgt. BILL MITTLIR, 151V Broadway. Ntw York

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

tsSsuEffr

VAUDEVILLE

63

RENO SUMMER’S ‘BIG HARRAH’

Conn. Eyes Bill to License Agents;
Would Give Them "Equal Protection

.Hartford, April 30.

A bill to license entertainment
boomers, in Connecticut, is being
considered by the.Judiciary Com¬
mittee of the General Assembly.
Passage of the bill would put all
boomers under state police licens¬
ing for two-year periods at fees of
$200 for .that span. Claim is made
that' licensing would uplift show
business standards in the state be¬
cause of the state police supervi¬
sion. Currently state police license
picture theatres.

Bill proponents claim also that
the bill would give 'Connecticut
bookers apd, agents the same pro¬
tection • their counterparts enjoy in
neighboring states. Patterned after
an “agent licensing’* law in Massa¬
chusetts, it would put Connecticut
bookers on the same level with
their Bay State competitors.

Proponents point out that cur¬
rently Massachusetts bookers are
free to come into Connecticut and
solicit business without interrup¬
tion while Connecticut bookers are
prohibited by law from going into
Massachusetts—the same being
true of other states bordering Con¬
necticut.

Claimed also , that passage of the
law would bring a measure of con¬
trol over the booking 1 of shows
and other entertainment programs
and also put the “curbstone book¬
ers’* out of business.

Some bookers feel that the cen¬
sorship possibilities of the law are
far outweighed by the monetary
advantages that wquld accrue by
keeping- out-of-state and unli¬
censed bookers out of their hair/
Licencing features are expected sto
minimize the use of strippers at
stag parties and banquets.

LOU WALTERS’LQ SHOW
FOR ALLENTOWN FAIR

.... ...Allentown, Pa., April 30.

Ldu Walters, owner of New
York’s Latin' Quarter, visited the
Allentowii Fairgrounds Friday (26)
to prepare for his Latin Quarter
Revue there during Fair Week in
September'. It will be the grand¬
stand attraction and will go from
here to the Las Vegas Riviera,
then to the Latin Quarter in .Miami
Beach and to New York. It will be
the first Such reVue at any fair,
Walters said.

Walters leaves for Europe May
9 to scout ’talent for the produc¬
tion, to be.' known as “.French
Dressing.” It will consist of two
acts: With' 12 scenes. There will
be six! numbers and 21 girls, eight
or nine specialty numbers, includ¬
ing Johnny Puleo & his Harmonica
Rascals, and other acts. The show
goes into rehearsal in mid-summer,
With the final rehearsals held in
Allentown*

Kitty Kallen to Top
Persian Room’s Fall Bow

Persian Room of the Plaza
Hotel, N.Y., will open for the next
season Sept. 18 with Kitty -Kallen
headlining. Miss Kallen worked
the. posh hotel time with previous
dates at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria
and the St. Regis, N.Y., and has
also appeared at the Versailles.
It’s her first N.Y. date in six years.

There’s been one change on the
Persian Room’s booking picture.
Celeste Hblm, originally set for a
May 4 opening, has cancelled out
because of a film commitment.
Dorothy Shay has been booked in¬
stead. Room will close around mid-
June.

Aguerre's Cuban Agency

Mario Aguerre, operator of the
Montmartre, Havana, is set to dou¬
ble As a talent agency operator in
Cuba. He’s slated to open the Ca-
ribe Artists Corp. ^,

. Aguerre was in New York last
Week for the dual purpose of buy¬
ing talent for the nitery and mak¬
ing representation deals for the
new office.

Troy Arena’s 4 Bookings

Troy, N. Y., April 30.

Four concert attractions have
been booked for the R.P.I. Field
House, with one or more, additional
tentatively scheduled, during the
1957-58 season. Manager H. L.
(Jack) Garren disclosed.

The curtain raiser on 1 Sept. 2Q
-will be the Sol Hurok import,
Black Watch Band. Symphony Or¬
chestra of the Florence Festival
will be heard, with Carlo Zechi as
conductor, Oct, 6 via Columbia Art¬
ists which also supplies Mantavoni
in Match. .'

Paul Gregory’s production of
“The Rivalry,” starring Raymond
Massey, Brian Donlevy and Agnes
MOorhead, comes Jan. 16.

335G Show Costs
On N.Y. State Fairs

Albany, April 30.

Total attendance of more than
2,300,000 at fairs in New York
State last, year represented an in¬
crease of approximately 300,000,
Commissioner of Agriculture Dan¬
iel A.. Carey reported las.t week.
The State Fair at Syracuse, how¬
ever, showed a decline in turn¬
outs, the figure being 369,864, com¬
pared with 433,452 in 1955.

. Exclusive of that exposition, the
fairs took in $2,722,736, which was
$475 more than the nonprofit as¬
sociations expended. They paid
out $355,000 for entertainment and
$165,000 for advertising; liquidated
notes amounting to $500,000, and
spent more than $200,000 on
permanent improvements.

Of the $550,000 .the fairs laid
out in premiums, they were' reim¬
bursed by the state for $467,000.

Ambassador Inti Dickers
Oakes’ Colonial in Nassan

Nassau, April 23.
The Ambassador International
hotel chain is negotiating for the
takeover of the British Colonial
Hotel here. Robert. K. Christen-
berry, is proxy of the chain which
already operates the El Embajador
and Jaragua, both Ciudad Trujillo,
Dominican Republic.

The British Colonial has long
been the property of the Oakes
family. Baroness Von Hoyningen-
Huene, the former Nancy Oakes,
daughter of the " original. owner,
the late Sir Harry Oakes, is con-
, ducting the negotiations with.
Christenberry. There were many
bidders on the inn including the
Sonnabend (Roosevelt, N. Y.) chain
and hotelmen operating in Nassau.

It’s expected that Christenberry
will take over the operation of the
hotel by mid-May. The Ambassa¬
dor International is allied with the
Ambassador Hotel Corp., which op¬
erates the Ambassador, N. Y.

Nefzger Gets Fla, Post

■ Reginald G. Nefzger, former
managing director of the British
Colonial Hotel, and the Boca Ra¬
ton Hotel, Boca Raton, Fla., has
been named president of the Royal
Continental Hotels which will
operate the Royal Continental
Hotel, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., set to
open in December. Nefzger will
be the manager of the new inn as
well.

James Grady will do the talent
booking for the new inn. Talent
policy hasn’t yet been determined.

S. C.^ Fair's New Stand

Columbia, S. C., April 30.

Work^. has begun on a $65,000
concrete and steel grandstand at
State Fairgrounds which will seat
3,000.

The hew grandstand, to be used
for the first time in October by
the George A. Hamid revue, re¬
places a wooden Structure more
than a quarter century old.

GAMESTER GOES
TALLBNTALENT

By MARK CURTIS

' Reno, April 30.

Northern " Nevada’s entertain¬
ment picture gets a decided boost
this summer with the big booking
plans of this section’s newest tal¬
ent buyer, Bill Harrah.' The gam¬
ing operator, who never used en¬
tertainment in his business until
two summers ago, will have three
spots carrying attractions by
June 15.

The total effort during the peak
of the season will See 10 combos,
three acts and a band working
each week under the Harrah’s
Club banner. The cost is esti¬
mated to be close to* $50,000s per
week.

The Harrah organization, which
has been moving quietly but sure¬
ly toward its place as Nevada’s
largest gambling business, is cur¬
rently doubling the size of its
Reno club, which will include an
entertainment lounge; has just
taken over one of Lake Tahoe’s
oldest showplaces, Stateline Coun¬
try Club, on a two-year lease with
an option to buy, and will continue
to book big names into its other
Lake Tahoe Club, right across
Highway 50 from Stateline Coun¬
try Club.

At • least 1,500 persons will be
employed by the Casino enterprise
making the payroll far and away
Nevada’s largest gaming business.

The interesting feature of this
expansion program, however, is
still the major part which enter¬
tainment has in it. The organiza¬
tion’s comparatively new policy, al¬
ready includes longterm ’contracts
with Louis Prima and .Keeley
Smith, and Loujs Armstrong.

Beginning his entertainment
policy with the opening of his
club at Lake Tahoe the summer
of 1955, Biarrah first upset tradi¬
tion by staying bpen past the re¬
sort area’s usual Labor Day clos¬
ing. He not only kept his casino
open all year 24 hours a day but
during this past winter maintained
a payroll of over 359, kept stage
bar entertainment working all eve¬
ning, and . even managed ’to sur¬
prise motel owners who. had to
hang out “no vacancy” signs on
weekends.

Next he. has prolonged the so-
called summer season from its tra¬
ditional 10 weeks which began
with big name entertainment
about June 15 and lasted .to Labor
Day.

This year Harrah’s brings In its
first big show on Friday (3), a full
six weeks ahead of schedule.

Now he has taken on the opera¬
tion bf Stateline Country Club
right across the street from his
first Tahoe spot. Stateline will
bring northern Nevada its first
Las Vegas - style entertainment
lounge* in which, the bar is the
outside perimeter and the cocktail
lounge is between the bar and
stage.

Yanks’ Glasgow 1-Niters

Glasgow, April 30.

One-night stands by American
acts are becoming popular here.
Trend follows success of visits by
Bill Haley, County Basie, George
Lewis and others.

Frankie Laine is pacted for the
2,700-seater St. Andrew’s Hall May
29 under the Harold Fielding ban¬
ner, Eddie’ Fisher is set for the
Odeon Theatre June 22, with top
price of $1.50. OdeQn is normally
a cinema. A sellout is anticipated
in view of it being a Saturday night
date.

The Duke Ellington band is like¬
ly to play here in September.

Summer Names At
Evansville Amphi

The Mesker Amphitheatre,
Evansville, Ind., a municipal opera¬
tion, will concentrate on. variety
shows during the summer. Initial
attraction for* the season will be
Harry Belafonte, starting June 27;
Hilltoppers, Roger Williams, Son¬
ny James and Jimmy Palmer,
July 13; Tex Ritter with Smiley
Burdette, Eddie Dean, July 20;
Frankie Clare and Tony Bennett,
July 27; students of the U. of In¬
diana in a presentation of “Kihg
and I,” Aug. 3; Johnny Long, Lil¬
lian Briggs, Andy Williams and
the Diamonds, Aug. 24, and Guy
Lombardo, Sept. 7 for the closing
show. All shows are for two days.

Jack Bertell has been retained
on a* term contract aS the talent
consultant. O^her attractions are
still to be set.

Mitchell-Heath Team For
Granada Dates in Brit.

London," April 30.
Guy Mitchell has been teamed
up with the Ted Heath orch to play
several concert dates at Granada
theatres in~ June. Mitchell will be
here for a vaude ; tour to follow up.
on the success of «his last visit here
a few months back. /

The booking, of the Health band
to costar on the bill ties in with
Lou Berlin’s appointment with
Granada to 4 concentrate on live
shows in their picture houses. Ber¬
lin was general manager for the
Heath organization until recently.

Mitchell has also been lined up
for two Associated Television ap¬
pearances—“Sunday Night at the
London Palladium” and“Val Par¬
nell’s Saturday Spectacular,” but
dates for these shows have still to
be confirmed.

AGVA Nixes Myerberg ‘Strike Plea
In Skirmish on Calypshow Dates

A hassle has developed in the
calypso company headed by Goef-
frey Holder, which played a 10-day
stand at Loew’s Metropolitan,
Brooklyn, -ending Sunday (28).
Michael Myerberg, producer of the
show, attempted to get the Ameri¬
can Guild of Variety Artists to
declare that a strike situation
exists, so that he. would be freed
of commitments from those per¬
formers and . the orchestra with
whom he has already, signed con¬
tracts. AGVA refused.

Situation started when the 16
dancers in the troupe asked for
a $175 stipend for the two weeks
they would be on the road. Show
has dates for the Mastbaum, Phila¬
delphia, week of May 3, to be fol¬
lowed by the Capitol, Washington,
May 10. Myerberg wanted to pay
the tempers the same scale that
they obtained while at the Brook¬

lyn Met, which was $125. Because
.of the tiff, Myerberg sought to have
the' union declare that a strike
situation exists, to free him from
all contracts, including that with
Holder as well as the Tito Puente
band, Thus he could call off both
dates. Since the Brooklyn stand
was disappointing, a termination
of all pacts would end any future
gambles.

AGVA says that it is staying out
of the dispute because it cannot
enter into negotiations when the
bargaining is for rates above scale.
Once an agreement is made, both
parties, according to the union,
must live up to the agreement.
Union stated that it found in its
investigation of the problem that
Myerberg said he would pay an
increased scale on the road. That
was before contracts for the two
out-of-town theatre dates were
signed.

allatioiis in Havana

* The casino rights in Cuba have
become so Important that the hotel
industry in that country is receiv¬
ing its greatest impetus. It’s "be¬
coming as expensive to acquire the
casino in some of the inns as it
would be to put up the. front
money in constructing hotels.

For example, a Havana syndic
cate has reportedly offered the
Hilton chain $1,000,000 annually
for the casino rights in the hotel
currently under construction. Bid¬
ding on- this concession has been
lively of late. An American syn¬
dicate started the bidding off with
an offer of $650,000 and later ad¬
vanced it to $750,000 annually for
a three-year term.

It's being figured that with that
kind of money necessary to ac¬
quire the greenfelt rights, a little
more coin in front and the syndi¬
cates could start their own hotel
and get additional monies from the
sale of store-leases in the inn, or
from other concessions. With hotel
building costs in Havana figured
at around a little more than $5,000
per room, mortgage money of
more than one-half the necessary
construction amount can be raised
fairly easily because of the ex¬
panding realty values in the Cuban
capital.

Whether the Hilton chain will
accept the concession offers isn’t
known as yet the chain may at¬
tempt to run the casino itself.

The hotel-buiVdlng industry in
Havana has reached herculean
proportions. The. latest hotel in

(Continued on page §4)

BUCKS COUNTY CLUB
AUCTIONED FOR $91,000

Doylestown, Pa., April 30.

The Fountainhead and Aqua
Club, a showplace in Bucks Coun¬
ty, near New Hope, was sold at
auction Friday (26) by James Mich-
ener and several associates for
$91,000,

The elaborate setup, that in¬
cludes two swimming pools, caba¬
nas and indoor and outdoor dining
facilities, was bought by George J.
Scheiber, who formerly operated a
chain of produce markets in Phila¬
delphia. It was built two years ago
at a cost of $400,000. Scheiber said
he will operate the club this sum¬
mer.

Cleve. Bijly’s, Ex-Leopard,
Sets Carroll Trio, Torme

Cleveland, April 30.

Barbara Carroll’s trio opened
the new Billy’s Club in mid-April
for a quartet of brotherly owners,
'Billy and Jules Weinberger and
the Jacobs brothers, who invested
around $100,000 in it. Spot was
formerly known as the Leopard
Club but it was virtually gutted out
and remodeled as a swank, inti¬
mate jazz nitery. *

\ Being; downtown,:- restaurateurs
Who also idperate’ ^ormnan’s Back "
Room , and 1 Hickory 'Grill;'the Wein-’
bergers ‘are installing ' a special
club cuisine to draw the gourmets
as well as jazz addicts to their
new suburban room opposite North
Randall Racetracks. It will have
150 seating capacity, three shows
nightly.

Following the jazz pianistics of
Miss Carroll, set for three weeks,
owners have inked Mel Torme
starting May 13 and Bobby Short’s
trio beginning May 27. A1 Kussin,
formerly of Alpine Village, was ap¬
pointed house manager of Billy’s
Club with Mike Hershbach as as¬
sistant.

Scot ‘Babes' Big 320,000

Glasgow, April 23.

The last pantomime of the Glas¬
gow season, ‘Babes In the Wood,”
shuttered at the Alhambra Theatre
here after an 18-week run. It was
seen by a record 320,000.

The cast, led by Jimmy Logan
and Rikki Fulton, gave 157 per¬
formances since opening last Nov.
30. Freddie Carpenter, newly ar¬
rived from a U. S. trip, produced.

64 VAUDEVILLE __

Mont’l-AGVA Fuss on Welfare Coin
Quiets Down; So Does Cafe Assn.

Montreal, April 30.

The threat of a possible boycott
by the American Guild of. Variety
Artists against most pf the niteries
here in Montreal wliich flared ,up
early last- week has simmered
down. According to AGVA rep
Smiley Hart, relations between the
union and operators are back to
normal.

The boycott situation arose
when most club owners refused to
pay the $2.50 insurance benefit
clause which is part of every con¬
tract. Their claim that all perform¬
ers are protected 'while working
in clubs was ignored by Hart who
pointed out that the insurance
clause.covers the act going to the
club', in the spot and returning
home. To clinch the dispute,
AGVA resorted to the “or else”
treatment—meaning they, would
pull out all union performers. This
was done in the Beaver Cafe when
the owners refused to pay the wel¬
fare charge, but three days later
they relented and the shows were
resumed.

During the hassle, Wilfred Bre¬
ton of the Rigolo Cafe called a
meeting of pitery owriefs in a re¬
newed attempt to start an associa¬
tion to deal with union problems.
Two other stabs at forming this
group have failed and the latest
looks as though it will go the same
way -despite Breton. Only a half
dozen turned up at the meeting
out of nearly 100 possibles. Said
Breton; “Every group including
garbage men and grocers has an
association to protect itself, except
night club owners. And if night
club owners are too dumb to get
together to protect each other,
then they deserve what they get.”

Meantime a reasonable peace
reigns over the scattered and
varied nitery biz of Montreal.
Smileyo Hart left on the weekend
for Quebec City to bring cafes
there into line and Lou Smolove
from the national, office is ex¬
pected in Montreal this week to
confer with Hart over a new arid
permanent AGVA rep for this city.

DeMarcos (4); ArlenS (l)

DeMarcd ';Sisters ' Will continue;
bttf : a& a quartet, ’following defec¬
tion of Arlene, who went into busi¬
ness for herself as a single. Lab
ter signed lasj week with the Wil¬
liam Morris agency. '

Arlene has already played sev¬
eral dates and is set for the Copa,
Pittsburgh, May 20, and the Glen
Casino, Williamgville, N.Y., July 29.

Casino Rights

Continued from -page S3

the planning stages is the Havana-
Deauville, a ljOOO-roomer being
backed by American and Cuban
money. Alr.eady under construc¬
tion is the Riviera, 'to be managed
by Jack Entratter, operating head
of the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas,
with two more being talked about
for construction next year.

The expansion of gambling has
caused the Hotel Nacional to en-.
large the casino and nitery opera¬
tions. Thi$ has been the most suc¬
cessful greenfelt operation on the
island. This gpot has been a con¬
sistent user of American names.
The niteries with casinos include
the Tropicnna, Montmartre and
Sans Souci, and the newer hotel
casino stops include the Comodoro
and .the Sevilla Biltmore.

Miami Beach hotelmen say that
the Cuban gambling v operations,
have helped them. For those that
hanker for a fling at the tables,
Havana is a much shorter hop than
Las Vegas. Many vacationers fly
ovpr to the island for a session
with the cubes, and come back the
same evening. There’s frequent
and inexpensive plane service be¬
tween both pleasure capitals. As
a result, the Miami Beach inn-
keeprs feel that the gambling has
helped them attract customers who
would otherwise have gone to
Nevada.

DANCING WATERS
NOTICE OF PATENT

INFRINGEMENT

DANCING WATERS, INC, is pleased to announce that

the U. S. Patent Office has granted U. S. Patent Number
2787495, which, patent covers the original and. unique
DANCING WATERS display and attraction.

NOTICE, is hereby given that it Is the Intention of
DANCING WATERS, INC, to seek the full measure of pro¬
tection afforded to it uhder the"United States Patent Laws
to prevent the unauthorized use by way of manufacture,
lease, rental, sale, or otherwise, of fountain display^ which
constitute an infringement of the abbve patents.

Under, the Patent Laws ALL parties USING or DISPLAY¬
ING infringing fountains and equipment are legally respon¬
sible and liable for damages.

Additional patent applications covering the DANCING
WATERS display and equipment are now pending In the

United States Patent Office and in Canada and other
countries throughout the world.

The original and authentic PANCINQ WATERS displays
are identified by the. trademarks DANCING WATERS
and SYNCOPATED WATERS.

DANCING WATERS, INC.
250 W. 57th Street
New York City

PKktltTr

Wednesday, May J^ 1957

Saranac Lake

By Happy Benway

For the fipst time in many years
Happy Benway has a ghostwriter
for his column. The minstrel man,
although h'e has been very ill, in¬
sisted upon getting the column out.
In March your 4 veteran , columnist
was -seriously hit by a cardiac at¬
tack which.held him unconscious.
After four weeks of care from spe¬
cialists, and 24-hour nursing serv¬
ice, he is' sitting up again. In the
future this column will be written
by Alonzo Fisk, chairman of the
“We the Patients Committee.” At
this writing Benway rates high
progress in his comeback.

Herbert Gladney of 20th-Fox
registered in from Chicago for the
rest period and observation.

Miss Noll, secretary to medical
director, into N. Y. for spring vaca¬
tion. John (IATSE) Hance ..of
Pathe in from N.* Y. to pick up
wife Stela who after- recent sur¬
gery rated a discharge. Joseph
Irwin (RKO) up for light exercise
after surgery. Arthur Slattery
just returned -from repeat surgery
on arm and planing to Connecticut
for visit with sister. Otto (Colum¬
bia) Hayman’s wonderful progress
has moved him downstairs and up
for two meals.

Murray Weiss of our board of
directors iit from Boston to view
the progress of the building of hew
.recreation hall, dining i^oom and
kitchen for third floor "patients;
latter section now for non-TB
cases only.

Write-to those who are ill.

Vaude, Cafe Dates

No Time for Squares

(APOLLO, N. Y.)

“No Time for Squares” with
Timmie Rogers, Bunny Briggs , Don
Redman Orch (11), Mauri Leigh¬
ton, Ernie Andrews, Paul Meeres
Jr , & Laraine, Lon Fontaine

Line (4).

New York

Roberto Iglesias, recently on
tour with Danny Kaye, will essay a
flamenco, concert at Carnegie Hall
May 15 . . ." Joan Brandon' on a
return engagement at the Eldridge
Amusement Park, Elmira, N. Y.,
July 1. She’s starts at the. Home
Furnishing Show, Boston, tomor¬
row (Thurs.) . . . Judy Foster a
newcomer to the Viennese Lantern
as of last night (TueS.) . . . Shecky
Greene to the Riviefa, Las Vegas,
July 31,. . Frank Parker booked
for the Steel. Pier, Atlantic City,
Aug. 4 . . . Roy McIntyre a new¬
comer to the Calypso Dock . . .
Robert Panofsky is the new pianist
at La Cave Henry IV . . . Stanley
Burns to the Lotus, Washington,
May 2 . . . Archie Robbins down
for the Americana, Miami Beach,
May 22.

Mary Small to the Eden Roc, Mi¬
ami Beach, June 6 . . . Dominique
pacted for the Tropicana, Cuba,
June 14 „ . . Ruth Olay starts at the
Cloisters, Chicago,' May 3 for 12
weeks . . . Current Copacabana
combo, Will Mastin Trio and Hal
Loman, to repeat at the Latin
Casino, Philadelphia, June 13 . . .
Judy Scott has signed to the lyil-
liam Morris Agency . .. Gogi Grant
tapped for the Statler-Hilton July
11 .

Comedian Timmie Rogers,. who
occasionally whips up an ali-Ne-
gro unit, has another one in “No
Time, for Squares.” It recently
opened at the Place Elegante in
Brooklyn and this week is'giving
Apollo patrons a welcome respite
from'rock ’n’ rolll For the most
part, “Squares” is a fast-paced
show that should find ample book¬
ings along the nitery circuit. It’s
less suitable for vaude houses ca-r
tering. to the family trade.

Kingpin of the layout is Rogers
himself who’s onstage frequently.
He's a hardworker who sings.,
makes with the gags, mingles with
the aud and even plays an electric
guitar. He scores nicely by war¬
bling “It’s Better Than Ever Be¬
fore” in a calypso, vein. He also
tries the other side of the street
with a spirited “Give Me Some
Good Whisky and Bad Women and
I’ll Rock ’n’ Roll All Day.”

Bunny Briggs, a^ vet terper,
opens with'a song. But. his forte
is footwork and he .contribs a
snappy exhibition of difficult step¬
ping. His is an effortless style. It's
particularly evident in a bit of pan¬
tomime that he dubs as. “a little
applejack.” Don Redman, a long¬
time batoneer, backs the show com¬
petently with his crew of three
rhythm, four brass and four reed.
Some of his sidemen are spotted
in individual solos.

There’s also a line of fpur girls
who are attractively garbed. Oth-
' erwise, the balance of this unit is
reviewed under New Acts. The
turns include songstress Mauri
Leighton, terper Lon Fontaine,
singer Ernie Andrews and the
dance duo of Paul Meeres Jr.' &
Laraine. Gilb.

solidated Concerts Corp. announced
he would book the trdupe for a 30-
week tttur next season. It should
prove a good draw on the road,
being—as. it is—not only , amusing
but also fascinating from a soci¬
ological point of view. Ward.

'Emperor’s New Clothes’
Pre-TV at Tamiment

The summer camp circuit will
again serve as a live tryoqt centre
for material that may later find its
way to the televisionv networks.
William Morris Agency has set a
musical version of “The Emperor’s
New Clothes,” by Dean Fuller and
Marshall Barer, for an unveiling
at Camp Tamiment, Tamjment, Pa.

Agency will seek to interest
video producers in the project dur¬
ing its summer run.

Rogers’ ’Squares’ for A. C.

The Timmie Rogers, unit, “No
Time for Squares,” has been
booked for the season at the Club
Harlem, Atlantic City, starting
June 20. Spot is the major Negro
nitery in that resort.

Unit is current at the Apollo
Theatre in New York’s Harlem.

Chicago

Roberta Lynn set for the Roose¬
velt, New Orleans, for four weeks
June 20 . , . Joanne Gilbert pacted
for the Drake Hotel May 31 . . .
Ricky Layne due at the Balinese,
Galveston, for_2V£ weeks Aug, 15,
with Barry Sisters on bill . . ,
Jaiiik Sc Arnaut inked for the Bali¬
nese, Galveston, June 6, for two
weeks . . . Jo; Jac & Joni into the
Showboat, Saginaw, Mich, for one
week July 8 .. * Eydie Gorme stops
here for four frames in the Palmer
House June 13, and later at the
GhaSe Hotel, St. Louis for one
week Aug. 4 . . . Rita Constance
appears on the Black Orchid bill
June 3 for three frames . . , Kaye
Ballard into Mr. Kelly’s May 22 for
two- -weeks ... Jo Ann Miller
heads into the Monteleone, New
Orleans, May 14 for two sets . . .
Big Jay McNeely into the Crown
Propeller May 8-12 . . . Loyola U.
Fair here (May 3-5) featuring Fon-
tane Sisters (3), Joni James and
Erroll Garner Trio on . successive
nights.

Hollywood

King Arthur Walsh pulls in at
the Magic Carpet today ,(Wed.) for
a two-week stand at the San Ber¬
nardino spot ... The Characters
held over at the Riverside, Reno,
through June 15 . . . Jose Greco
making a week’s, stand at the Chi
Chi, Palm Springs . . . The Allan
Jones show opens at the Terrace
Room of the Statler Hotel for an
extended run May 16. Included in
the package are the Page Cav¬
anaugh Trio.

Marie McDonald will open her
new nitery act at the Desert Inn,
Las Vegas, May 28 .. . Four Fresh¬
men, comic Lehny Bruch and the
Dave Pell Octet headline the cur¬
rent show at the Crescendo. •

Caribbean festival

Princeton, N.J., April 23.

Richard Pleasant presentation of
Jean-Leon Destine & Bis Haitian
Dance Co., with Tedd ' Browne &
Lady Qalypso, King Rudy & His
Steel Band, Alphonse Cimber &
Edner Calvin; Choreography, Des¬
tine; scenery, Bernard Dayde. At
McCarter Theatre, Princeton,'NJ,,
April 23, ’57; $4,top.

This was the first appearance of
a colorful if somewhat confusing
program which ranged from the
stunning dancing of Jean-Leon
Destine and his fine troupe to some
re'al lowdown, primitive singing by
Lady Calypso.

A sellout audience lapped it up
—and even appeared to enjoy a
rain of confetti which the ma'fihge-
ment had released from the rafters
during the second half of the pro¬
gram to add to a completely un¬
buttoned holiday spirit. The audi¬
ence ranged from the usqal long-
hairs to be found in this University
town to persons who appeared to
have come from miles around to
enjoy “live” calypso.

The overall impact of the pro¬
gram was certainly; bright and
kaleidoscopic, Imaginative sets by
Bernrrd Dayde and the insistent
and exciting drumming of Al¬
phonse Cimber and Edner Calvin
gave to the show a unity and con¬
tinuity which, in retrospect, might
be questioned.

There was true paradox in the
successive appearances of the
primitive - appearing but actually
highly sophisticated Destine
Troupe—alternating with the un¬
tutored, bawdy and truly primitive
Lady Calypso. It was almost as if
Bessie Smith had been chosen to
appear on the same program with
Martha Graham. After a while, the
dancers appeared to be operating
on two levels at once.

Calypso singer Tedd Browne
provided a more sophisticated se¬
ries of popular songs while the
King Hudy Steel Band was a
charming reminder that calypso is
still awfully close to its origins.

The enthusiastic audience greet¬
ed with cheers producer Richard
Pleasant’s entr’acte announcement
that the show would come back to
the McCarter Theatre for two
more performances June .14 and 15.
Afterward. Charles Green of Con-

Genevieve

"Gonoviovo is on* of tbo best
Gallic song belters extant."

—Variety, Abel.

BARRON POLAN LTD. PL *-4727
252 East 4*th St., New York 17, N. Y,

PROFESSIONAL
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for all Theatricals

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REVIEWS

65

Wednesday, May*!, 1957

House Reviews

prince of Wales, London

‘ Londonr April 23.

,Val Parnell and Bernard -Delfont
presentation of **Plaisirs de Paris”
a new revue in two acts. Devised
and- ' staged by Robert Nesbitts
choreography, Billy Petch; orches¬
trations, Woolf Phillips, Ray Terry,
Ronald ffannher, Bert Rhodes, Nor-
man Wilkinson; costumes, R. St.
John Roper; decor, Tod 'Kingman,
Edward Delaney .' ■' $2.30 top.

With George & Bert Bernard,
Dickie Henderson ,. Sabrina, The 3
Monarchs, Lee Sharon, Maggy Sar-
ragne, Noelle Adam, Miss Glamor,
Les Mathurins (2), Raymond Gir-.
ef.d, The Zanies t (3), Vicki Emra,
John Palmer, Arthur Solomon, The
Follies Models, Follies Showgirls?
Les Boys and Girls de Follies, Har¬
old Collins & Prince of Wales
Orch.

Val Parnell and Bernard Delfont
in presenting this Follies revue
have put oii one .of the most color¬
ful and entertaining' shows seen in
London for a long time. In a series
of these Parisian shows at this the¬
atre, this is by far the best; Decor
and costumes are outstanding, mu¬
sical arrangements good and the
choreography excellently executed.
The show zings along at a very fast
pace, and is set for a long and
profitable run.

George & Bert Bernard, the
show’s headliners, please the cus¬
tomers with their unchanging act-
of miming to records. They’ve
added little new material to their
routine, but come across well and
receive a hefty, reception. *

Dickie Henderson is by far the
hardest worker '.of the production.
He’s rarely offstage ‘ and supplies
almost all the comedy in the show.
His solo spots are among the most
entertaining in the revue, and his
singing, dancing, and impersona¬
tions are all set at a very high
level.

Making her West End debut, and
taking on her biggest part to date,
Sabrina, a; very well' proportioned
blonde, hears the brunt of many of
the sketches built round her physi¬
cal attributes. She's good for a lot
of laughs, and creates quite a stir
amorfg the audience every time
she appears in a new gown. She
sings too, and makes the most of
her West End bow.

Zany harmonica trio, the Three
Monarchs, register well both with
their instrumentals and . comedy
routines. The antics of one of
them, a plujmp, bearded character
with a high' pitched voice and a
naive line of patter, scores well.
Les Mathurins, a, fast moving
French acrobatic duo, have a slick
routine spiced with plenty of hu¬
mor. They get one of the biggest
receptions. In the production num¬
bers, Lee Sharon, Maggy. Sar-
ragne, Noelle Adam and Miss
Glamor provide the central attrac¬
tions. Miss Sharon scores a ‘ Lvg
hit in a number called “Cargo,”
with an ultra-sexy dance routine
set in the engine robin of a ship.
The -setting is realistic and cap¬
tures the atmosphere perfectly.
Maggy Sarragne, a sophisticated
French songstress, and Noelle
Adam, an attractive dancer, both
score. Miss ;Safragne, always beau¬
tifully costumed, delivers her num¬
bers with plenty of zest and a
throaty voice.' Her accent ,adds
much charm to her- performance.
Miss Adam , has goodlooks as well
as plenty of dancing ability, main¬
ly of the ballet type. Miss Glamor,
a dusky dancer from Cuba making
her British bow in the show, gets
a socko reception 'for her unin¬
hibited undulations in a number
titled “The Heat Wave.” She turns
on the sex full pressure, and is
backed by a two-piece bongo out¬
fit. Her act closes to cheers from'
the audience.

The rest of the company all give
first-rate performances. The girls
are well matched, and their many
changes of costume, bring spon¬
taneous applause, as do the excel¬
lent sets. One in particular,' “The
Realms of Venus,” is a real eye-
opener, with several nudes com¬
pleting a colorful tableau. Chore¬
ography is good, and some of the
show’s novelty effects, .including a
fireworks (display, .are outstanding.
Harold Collins and' his orch pro¬
vide the music throughout, and
maintain the high standard they’ve
sef during their residency at the
theatre. . . . • Ba ry.

Kathleen Williams, talent- buyer
for the Blackpool Circus* JBlack-
pool, will arriv’e in' the U. S. at
tb» end of May to- case acts for
the Annmer season at the British
resort. • - - , * . '

L’OIynipia, Paris

* Paris, April 15.

Patachou, Marino Marini Quar¬
tet, Rene-Louis Lafforgue, Sim,
George Taps' & Co. (5),* Barells
(2), Flying De Pauls ( 6 ), Wilson,
Keppel & Betty, Roger Comte; $2
top.

Patachou is well named after a'
piece of pastry, for her first house
appearance this. season is a piece
of cake for her. Already a consum¬
mate shpwwoman, some pressure
catapulted her into one of-the best
shows she has done in many moons.
Supporting her are a racy Italo
musical, combo, Marino Marini
Quartet, who have been creating
riots and interest and selling flocks
of records on their raucous take¬
offs of Neapolitan music. She had
to top them and did it by far with
a Sblid songalog, subdued but tell¬
ing gestures, and a controlled
voice and poise making her in for
powerful palms.

Patachou " 1 eschewed a certain
yeasty quality that, at times, ham¬
pers her style. With electric song
underlining and intelligently com¬
posed numbers she peals out her
hardbitten sentimental songs on
Pari§ lowlife with verve and dy¬
namism. fn fine voice, with the
audience responding to her every
nuance, she emerges one of the
top song stylists here. She is in¬
trinsically Parisian, bub has the
moxie and savvy to cross any bor¬
der with telling effect, as she has
amply and often proved.

Marino Marini Quartet utilize
electronics as well as bouncy
rhythming of the sugared Neapoli¬
tan beat to make this group sound
like a battalion. Each has a mike
of <4 his own and adroit coupling
leads to echo sounds and builds
them into a frenetic sounding off
when necessary. Composed of a
piano, bass, drum and electric
guitar, they uncork a catchy reper¬
toire with enough Italo exaggera¬
tion and good spirits, plus a'sure
sense of rhythm, to get the audi¬
ence in the mood and with them.
There is literally an Italo musical
invasion here and it is a joyous,
suhny type of music that should
be finding its way stateside.

Rest of bill is highpowered to
indicate probable solid biz through
early May. Sim uncannily imi¬
tates trains, storms, etc., and a gal¬
lery of prima donnas in a quaver¬
ing falsetto underlined, by a top
parody sense. He is an offbeater
worth U.S. video interest. Roger
Comte is a lisping raconteur who
details zany rube goldbergish in¬
ventions for the program. laughs.
Material and delivery are fine.'

Rene-Louis. Lafforgue looks like
a_ turn-of-the-century moustached
comico villain, but essays .a self-
cleffed troubador rep which does
not jibe with his physical accoutre¬
ments. He remains a local bet, at
best. Wilson, Keppel & Betty do
a dance takeoff on Egyptian hiero¬
glyphic characters for amusing re¬
sults. Present political tensions
help this get yoeks, and-the skill¬
ful clowning, invention and actual
terp qualities make this in f.or big
applause. However, it is thin and
timely in essence, and will have to
be- altered with changing times.
But it will be a neat entry and
filler for a while, and is worth
U.S. spotting.

Flying De Pauls are six green-
costumed women who flit through
• “solid acrobatic session With
verve and abandon worth mighty
mitts. Barells are a fast and color¬
ful juggling duo. Using a Sunday
painter motif, couple handle
unique objects such as paint cans,
palettes, brushes, and are fast,
zesty and in for fine filler pur¬
poses. George Taps & Co. unveil a
potpourri of interpretive fiances
based oh Rodgers & Hammerstein
musicals. It is a good, well organ¬
ized vestpocket dance interlude,
and adds a good production gloss
to this well picked and stocked
group of acts. Mosk. ■

Empire. Glasgow

Glasgow, April 26.

The Teenagers, with "Frankie
Lymon (Jr), Albert Burdon & Co.
(4), Johnny Laycock & Partner,
Hollander & Hart, Ron Scott, May-
fairs (2), Bobbie Dowds Orch.

The Teenagers, backed by a
group of five British instrumental
ists-, offer a lively singing act. that
pleases the younger outfronters.
Group is well drilled and registers
adequately in excited motion, but
hardly justifies raising - of .prices
at this vaudery by almost .50%.

Most, attention is. centered on
Ffankic Lymon, billed as - being
W /2 years ol.fi. . Juve' singer has
reportedly received special dispen¬
sation to appear, after last-year

Variety

announcement that he was banned
by age minimum of 15 from the
Auld Lang Syne stage. Lymon,
beaming frequently and jumping
about, pleases his young followers
with his own tune, “Why Do Fools
Fall, in Love?” He raises yocks by
saying, after he’s announced names
of other kids, “my name is Tommy
Steele” (English rock ■’n’ rollerh
. At show caught, house- was
packed with holiday crowdsfin view
of local one-day vacation.’Act reg¬
istered with the very young but
left many oldsters wondering’ as to'
its entertainment value.

Fortunately, .support layout,
-while numerically small, is strong
in impact, and each act registers.
The Mayfairs are bright distaff duo
who open each segment Ron Scott,
kilted Scot, tells some stories and
sings Auld Lang Syne tunes with
a friendly freshness that appeals.
Goodlooking youngster opens
brightly with “Bagpipes of Scot¬
land” and winds with a peppy
“Rockin’ in the Rye.”

Hollander & Hart, with song,
comedy and guitar, score solidly,
interweaving comedy into musical
offering, and exit to strong palm¬
ing. Johnny Laycock also notches
high reaction on mitt-meter With
versatile instrumentals; playing
several together and setting - fast
pace to act; he’s assisted by a young
girl stooge.,

Albert Burdon, vet northeast
England comedian supported by
team of four males, repeats well-
tried comedy material and proves
'that good slapstick never dies.
Work of his stooges’ team, partic¬
ularly a smallish type garbed as
schoolboy, is a standout.

'Layout is backed by resident
orch under Bobby Dowds.

Gor-d:

Circus Review

Cirque Medrano, Paris

Paris, April 23.

Chocolate & Co.- (5), Michele
Marconi & Andre Raney, Berardy
(3), Henry Neuvy, Evelyn & Hel-
muth, Gogia Pasha (2), Wisky
Bros. (2), Ulk & Maor, Andree
Jan; James, Jackson & Cornell,
Beverly (3), Denewers (2), Gimos
(2), lung Iang; $3 top.

With Chocolate & Co. (5) the
Cirque Medrano can .he forgiven
for straying, into musichall-type
programs and leaving the sawdust
to the traveling tenters. This clown
group piles up enough olassic gags
and tomfoolery to make for word-
of-mouth that should begin to get
the strayed public back.

Chocolate & Co. wear the regula¬
tion madcap clown getups and tear
into a ^series of wild-shenanigans
that make for gales of bellyo-cks, A
cannon, is fired through a piano
which shatters and the player runs
off yelping with the shell through
him; a clarinet is shoved down the
gullet of an annoying member; an
axe is imbedded in an offending
head; and on it goes underlined by
a definite musical talent purveyed
by outlandish but well sounding
instruments.

Michele Marconi & Andre Raney
do their classy dance, with Miss
Marconi doubling with the horse
ridden by Raney to make a per¬
fectly matched and gaited number.
Berardy (3) are two pretty young
girls and a man in a rapid roller
skating routine full of. poise,
rhythm, and make for good filler
material. Ditto the Gimos (2), a
clever bicycle number with smart
riding leavened with good, com¬
edies.

Henry Neuvy (2) starts with, a
talk on the violin, interrupted Jxy
a femme from the audience, which
turns into a knockabout number
for okay proportions. Gogia Pasha
( 2 ) runs through some smart magi-
co turns to end on a levitation bit,
his partner being placed on three
upended swords With two then re¬
moved, to make this eminent state¬
side video material.

Evelyn & Helmuth are a supple
acrobatic dance duo and Wisky
Bros. (2) are an okay trampoline
act. Ulk & Maor. has a stocky girl
doing the man’s work as she easily
throws her partner around for a
savvy filler. Jan ups for the trapeze
bit and does some fallaways that
give the program its gasps. James,
Jackson & Cornell bring a loose-
jointed tap routine in and fit the
atmosphere on their acrobatics and
energy. '

Denewers (2) are a fine hand-to-
hand bit salted with acceptable kid¬
ding aspect. Beverly (3) are a
rapid juggling trio with a pretty
blonde vying with a father and
son in dexterity. lung larig is a
smooth, graceful balancing num¬
ber in which a young man hand¬
stands and b.uilds it up by placing
a series of blocks under each hand
as he mdunts On them and then
descends by casting them off.

Mosk.

SHAI K. OPHIR
.Comedy
20 Mins., .. *

, Club SaKbra; ‘-N* ' Y. - '> -■ * * •■' ""

Shai.K. Ophir, an Israeli import,
is a mime in the concert tradition
of Marcel Marccau, from whom he
has apparently drawn a great deal
of inspiration. He uses his body
expressively, his mimes ai’e care¬
fully studied, and his characteriza¬
tions have a deal of depth.

Ophir, dressed in dead black,
provides a few arresting studies.
His comedy has a tinge of philoso¬
phy and there’s some comedy in
his tragedy. His . initial study of
a salesnian bidding farewell to his
family, is an ingeniously contrived
bit of business. His magnum opus
is a study of a drunk who has
broken into a hat shop and as¬
sumes the characteristics of one
who would ordinarily wear le cha¬
peau he tries on. In the end he
seems content to pick up his own
fedora and walk away. Another
expert bit of business is his study
of how different people smoke.

The weaker parts of his turn are
the bits in which he gabs. That
way he invites comparison with
every standup comic around. He’s
safer and much better on the pan¬
tomimic front. Jose.

ORANEEM (4)

Songs, Dance
15 Mins.

Club Sahbra, N. Y.

The Oraneem are a versatile
quartet more geared to the‘con¬
cert than the nitery orbit. Accom¬
plished group .lias developed its
own combination of song, dance
ahd music. Comprising a girl
singer, a boy ditto, a male dancer,
and a musician, -the outfit has a
pleasant way around the floor.

Standout is the dancer, who has
a feel for folk ballet. His choreog¬
raphy imparts a sense of modern¬
ism superimposed on the Israeli
lo<&le. „ Singers pass muster and
the musician works an accordion
and a recorder.

They create an" atmosphere of
homegrown gaiety, have a fresh
viewpoint, and could be a part pf
an evening in the theatre presen¬
tation for maximum effect. Jose.

LON FONTAINE (5)

Dancing
G Mins.

Apollo, N. Y.

Lon Fontaine is a versatile hoof¬
er whose choreography is some¬
what reminiscent of the Jack Cole
school. Opens with some conven¬
tional stepping, then corttribs a
Oouple of vocals. Of the latter one
is a calypso, “Whatcha.. Gonna Do
When Your Man Gives Out?”

Calypso number serves as a peg
for some West Indian routines in
which Fontaine is flanked by four
undulating femmes. Colorfully
clad, they provide a sexy touch.
On the whole Fontaine has a fair¬
ish turn. However, its novelty as¬
pects are strong enough to rate
okay mitts at the Apollo, where
the act is part of Timmie* Rogers’
“No Time for Squares” unit.

Gilb.

ERNIE ANDREWS
Songs
6 Mins.

Apollo, N. Y.

Youthful Negro warbler from
the Coast, Ernie Andrews shows
promise but needs further experi¬
ence' before-. he's ready for 'the
more lucrative bookings in- most
visual media. He also requires a
better defined style of his own that
would set him apart from scores
of others who warble in a similar
vein.

A member of the Timmie Rogers
unit, “No Time for Squares,” An¬
drews vocals “Can I Steal a Little
Love?” and the religioso “Give Us
Peace.” Former tune, written es¬
pecially for the unit, is no groat
shakes but he sells it nicely. He
handles the latter with much feel¬
ing. However, his Voice occasion¬
ally cracks under the emotional
stress. Gilb.

PAUL MEERES JR. & LARAINE
Dancing

5 Mins. *

Apollo, N; Y.

Decidedly animated is- this dance
duo who excel in adagio routines.
Accomped by a bongo, they go
through some suggestive paces
which is fine for this Harlem vaud¬
ery but could be considered risque
in more sedate spots.

Sparkplug of the turn is Laraine,
a scantily clad, diminutive hip
tosser. A sexy bundle, she makes
with liberal bumps and' grinds. Her
partner acquits himself well in
handling the lifts and spins. Withal,
a good act for niteries, but not for
the family trade. Gilb.

iMAURI LEIGtfTON
Songs
9 Mins.

Apollo, N. Y.

■ A tall,' W^Lowy femme, Mauri
Leighton not ’only has a good voice
but she has a figure that more
than matches it. Negro singer is
inclined to be a bit too staccato on
her version of “Wanna Be Loved.”
However, her sexy delivery of “So
Many Beautiful Men” wraps up
this novelty number for full values.

Miss Leighton, who seems com¬
pletely at ease, appears to have a
way with novelties for her piping
of “Lookie, What I Got For You”
was so realistic at show caught that
some, members of tlie Apollo aud
were on the verge of taking it
literally. Both visually and aurally
she shapes as good „ material for
vaude, cafes and/or disks. Gilb.

THE MAYFAIRS (2)

Dance
G Mins,

Empire, Glasow

Above-average dancing acts are
not found iff every show in the
U.K. these days. Here’s one with
some potential. Two attractive
young femmes are easy on°eye and
dance with skill.

Pair are neatly costumed, show
precision in routines, and perform
with an obvious sense of enjoying
their chores. Best bit is a tap
dance done atop two prop top hats,
the gals also wearing identically-
designed top hats, a minimum of-
costuming, and carrying canes.
Distaffer duo merit the fairly warm
reception they gain; on exit.

It’s a bright opening dance turn
that should stand service in most
classes of vaudery in Britain and
Commonwealth, and in video situa-
tions c too. Gord.

LIANE

Songs

Eden Bar, Vienna

Liane, one of Austria’s best
selling' recording artists and main
attraction in one of Vienna’s most
popular bistros, the Eden Bar, is
eager for a U.S. try. Highly success¬
ful here, she should" please Yank
audiences, in the same way as here.
Eden Bar has become by word-of-
mouth a sort of a must for foreign¬
ers doing the local nitery scene.

She sings in English (pleasing
accent), French, Italian, Hungarian
and German. Amadeo records, as
“Paris Midnight,” “Vienna Mid¬
night,’* “Night and Day” (Cole
Porter) are of high standard ahd
one of her latest, “Lass die Welt
darueber reden” (Let The World
Talk About It) ranks third on the
local jukebox’ parade.

Liane delivers a selection of
pops, followed by a range of vocal
impressions; She is a pleasant en¬
tertainer with a highly versatile
routine.

The Joschi Wimmer Soloists is
the billing of the Eden Bar’s ex¬
cellent orchestra. Maas.

JAN & VLASTA DALIBOR
Puppets

10 Mins. ’ ’

Empire, Edinburgh

Czechoslovakian duo have a pup¬
pet offering that shows promise.
With sharpening and more show¬
manship it should grow in poten¬
tial.

Puppets are manipulated inside
miniature stage lit by two side
lamps, and are all cutely devised.
They range from an elderly dame
positioned/beside a prop jukebox
to a white poodle pooch, a small
elephant, a frog, two dainty pig¬
lets, and a cow with an ogling eye.
Item with a green frog making
love to pink fish, to offstage record
accompaniment of “Kiss Me Babe,”
raises yocks.

Male and femme twosome oper¬
ate strings from behind their
miniature theatre, and in view of
outfronters. Alternative method
should be used to withdraw the
prop jukebox from the full view
of audience, distaffer pushing in
her arms at show caught to clear
the-.puppet stage. '

~ As act is tidied up, so it should
become ■ slicker 1 and have greater
potential for general vaude and
video. Gord.

Valley Arena, Holyoke,

To Encore Sun. Vaude

The Valley Arena, Holyoke;-
Mass., will resume weekly Sunday,
vaude shows starting May 26. with
a layout topped by Bill Haley St
His Comets. The house periodical¬
ly runs a series of weekly vaude
shows.

The Abe Feinberg agency If
booking out of New York.

66

NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS

PSaRitTr

Iloftel SI. Regis, N. Y.

Julie Wilson with Marshall Grant
Trio; $1.50 and $2.50 convert.

There are certain personalities
and certain rooms that go together
like Haig & Haig. This combina¬
tion of glove-fitness is usually born
of the environment and vice-versa
so that the boxo^fiqe impact be¬
comes habitual as well as profes¬
sional. Hildegarde' 1 apd, the Per¬
sian Room; The DeM$£CPs and the,
old Central Park Casino; , Jimmy .j
Durante and Chez Paree; Joe E.j
Lewis and the Copa come to mind
among others. . Julie wtlson and
the Maisonette Room of the Hotel 1
St. Regis are' in the same idiom.

This is her eighth return and is a
continuing sentimental spring-
board for a chorister from the
Copa who capitalized on a striking !
brunet personality Mow a blond-
nette), a sleek chassis, a throaty j
voice and a general s.a.-with-class
style to become a West End and
Gotham favorite. From the
Maisonette she did London coun¬
terparts of click Broadway musi¬
cals, and latterly has done two pix
(COl and Metro),, both just releas¬
ing, with result that Miss Wilson is
riding, the crest of accumulative
ballyhoo values.

Her stuff remains standard. Her I
good looks are standout and so is
her wagon, especially in that dar¬
ing sartorial creation which gives a !
somewhat startling derriere effect i
due to the flesh-colored basic mate¬
rial. • |

Her repertoire is a blend of old
and new, and also incorporates a I
current trend by diskers and chap¬
ters to unearth little known musi-
comedy scores, usually by Porter or
Rodgers & Hart. She favors Por¬
ter with alternating “New Yorkers”
and “50 Million Frenchmen” med¬
leys. “Manhattan,” “Just In
Time,” “Married I Can Always
Get,” n Refuse to Rock ’n’ Roll,”
“What Is There TO Say?,” “What’s
A Woman?,” “Bad, Bad Woman”,
and “A Man Could Be” comprise
beaucoup variety but major accent
is on the “sophisticated” lyrics.
That’s fancy for literate boudoir
wordage, but as she does it it’s
highly acceptable With the cash-
and-cayriage (Jag-set-type) set.

It’s a question whether Miss Wil¬
son needs her own Marshall Grant
Trio, which has the maestro at the
ivories, Mort Klanfer on bass, and
Jim Chapin on rhythm. Not that
they aren’t good^-they are, plenty.
But since maestro Milt Shaw, a
staple at the St. Regis, has done so
competently for all the chantoot-
sies this is obviously more of a
showmanship conceit than a real¬
istic necessity. The Grant combo
accomped Vicki Autier and Fer¬
nand Montel in Palm Beach* and
elsewhere, are thoroughly profes¬
sional, of course.

Miss Wilson, closes the Maison¬
ette for the season until June 6
when Shaw and the Ray Bari en¬
semble move upstairs to the St.
Regis Roof for the summer.

Abel. |

Sahara, floats Vegas

Las Vegas, April 24.

Donald O’Connor, Larry White,
George Prentice, Beatrice Kraft
Dancers (7), Cee Davidson orch
(17) r produced by Stan Irwin;
staged by Dick Humphreys; $2
minimum.

Donald O’Connor has parlayed
the same youthful zest that brought
him success into a well-balanced
production in the Congo Room.
Pert eight-year-old Larry White
teams in a 20-minute, skit with
O’Connor that provides the dis¬
tinctive part of the 68-minute show.
They use special material written
by Sid Miller for a series of seven
fast changes Climaxed by a sbhg. &
dance duet to the music of “Hello
Bluebird.”

-O’Connor “introduces” the pre¬
cocious White in a unique manner
by throwing a hat to spectators—
all of whom return it with the ex¬
ception of Larry, who puts it on
his head and stares ahead concen¬
trating qn his meal. Upon prod¬
ding by O’Connor the youth takes
the stage for a rapid-fire sequence
of songs that find him in costumes
ranging from cooitskin cap to blazer
to 10-gallon hat. Miller and O’Con¬
nor have used similar material on
tv,, but audience reaction here is
hearty.

O’Connor’s opening songs in¬
clude “I Like Life,” “Life Is Just
a Bowl of Cherries,” “Walking My
Baby Back Home” and “Ain’t She
Sweet.” Following the “Anything
for a Laugh” skit with young
White, he concludes by singing
“Dancing in the Dark,” and per¬
forming his only solo dance num¬
ber, “Donald’s Dance.”

The Saharem Dancers are sup¬
planted in the O’Connor show by
Beatrice Kraft Dancers (7). They
open the show with a calypso num¬
ber to “Banana Boat Sohg,” fea¬

turing Pat Wharton, Bill Chatham,
and Dick Humphreys, who staged
the production. Colorful luminous
costumes accent the original calyp¬
so presentation that is staged in
part in darkness. The Kraft danc¬
ers return for five selections that
include an invocational dance, a
Love Duet, a Display of Virtuosity,
a Flirtation Dance (starring Miss
Kraft) and finale.,

A slapstick puppet performance
in the Punch & Judy tradition is
interspersed by - George Prentice
‘who deploys a‘ series of animals in
“combat” with his main performer,
a bereted puppet.

Music by the Cee Davidson orch
(17) enlivens the production that’s
: slotted for four weeks. Sid Miller
and Mel Diamond wrote the show
which is presented by entertain¬
ment director Stan Irwin. Digl.

Staller Hotel, L. A.

Los Angeles, April 25.
Ginny Simms, Les Cardinals (3),
Dick Stabile Orch (12); $2-$2.50
cover.

It has been many years since
Ginny Simms was a top band
singer and radio and disk vocalist.
She's back now to essay a tour of
the cabaret circuit, starting with
this three-weeV: stand at the Statler
Hotel’s entertainment oasis. Un¬
fortunately, barring the nostalgic
value of her name on the marquee,-,
she has nothing to offer in today’s
highly competitive market;

The long absence from the busi¬
ness has marred the vocal quality
that let her achieve prominence
before—and she has failed to de¬
velop a real act that would over¬
come this lack. Turn is a standup
songalog, hampered considerably
by the” fact that the presentation
is awkward. Miss Simms seems still
to be a band singer, lacking in the
showmanship needed; even her
gestures appear awkward. And at
40 minutes, she’s on much too long.

Vocally, she runs through some
Of her former hits, like “Who
Wouldn’t Love You,” and. reprises
some standards and the current
pop “Accustomed to His Face.”
She has a good idea in a medley of
Oscar winners, but it's stretched
too thin for what it has to offer.
Special material numbers by Earl
Brent, though ndt strong, are a
move in the right direction and
she ( should lean more heavily on
this type of entry to overcome the
vocal deficiencies.

Opener is Les Cardinals, an im¬
ported trio that combines acro-
dancing with music, utilizing xlo-
phones and saxes for some added
fillips to them stunts. It’s a good
opener.

Dick Stabile band holds over
again and the maestro acts as
emcee, getting off some funny ma¬
terial to aid the pace. Kap.

Lake Club, Spring! 9 *!, Ilk

Springfield, Ill., April 26.
Day, Dawn & Dusk, Stan Howard,
Dorothy Kramer Dancers (with Bill
Drew), Buddy Kirk Orch (8); $1.20
admission afigr 8 p.m.

Since the sepia song trio billed
as Day, Dawn & Dusk follows by
less than a month the appearance
of the Deep River Boys at the Lake
Club, comparison of the two vocal
groups is inevitable. Like their
predecessors, the current contin¬
gent concentrates on harmony, but
with the exception of a calypso item
rendered in Jamaican bonnets the
three D’s do not invite comparison
with any other group.

Day, Dawn & Dusk avoid style
stereotyping by offering a Jlittle bit
of everything. ’“Without A Song”
comes, out straight: “Way Down
Yonder. In New Orleans” is inter-:
polated with “Manhattan Tower”
in a logically, sophisticated way.
“He” is delivered with taste, “Who”
is given a rock 'n' roll beat while
“Hallelujah — Fare Thee Well”
solicits audience participation.

Long before the trio distributes
tambourines for their revivalistic fi¬
nale they can count oh coming back
for encores. Showwise, Eddie, Mac
and Bob save their top talent ex¬
hibit for begoff duty. It*s,-a three-
man imitation of a circus calliope.
Narration by Eddie Day, piano man
and key baritone, is brief and
classy. Dawn and Dusk, at mike-
side, blend tenor and baritone.
When necessary, Day doubles in;
bass.

Comedian Stan Howard, who
emcees the current layout, has
about as many styles of patter as
the song trio. He was best received
at the show caught in musicalized
material revolving around “Stop
the World and Let Me Off.” A glar¬
ing professional fault in his stand-
up stint is enjoying his jokes before
giving his audience a chance to do
the same.

Dorothy Kramer, her dancers
and Bill Drew open tlie bill with a
precision tap routine' which after
several weeks is routine. Buddy
Kirk’s orch is on cue all the way.

Wayn.

\ > i . f ■ j

Blue Angel, N. V.

Bob Gibson, Dorothy Loudon,
Orson Bean, Enid Mosier 1 & Steel
Band (3);\ Bart Howard, Jimmy
Lyon Trio; $5 minimum. '

Not for nought is the Blue Angel
a Gotham staple. The application
to talent ’ standards has been rig¬
orous and, ’ with the advantage of
a. farm .system via the companion
Village Vanguard which partner
)VTax Gordon operates solo, Herbert
Jacoby and he continue to bat
strong. Their quality is big league
all the way. / '

In addition to the basic values,'
Jacoby & Gordon have the knack
of proper blend ahd balance with
result that the sum total is
thoroughly satisfying. This par¬
ticular quartet of turns is a canny
admixture of offbeat song and on-
the-buttori comedy.

Whoever has guided Dorothy
Loudon from (lie path of straight
thrushing (she used to wax for
Victor) into the savvy comedy flair
she now manifests has done a
strong show biz potential service
for hex’. Right now she has a socko
vignette for the top vaudeo layouts.
“Sleazy Louisiana” may be too
ribald for a Sullivan-Alien videoer
but her from-Dixie treatment of
“Mobile” (heretofore a straight
baxlad which Julius LaRose ac¬
cented), is capital satix’e. Michael
Brown’s “Louisiana” lyric is equal¬
ly pungent humor. Her entii'e
routine is. in the same pattern,
from “Rampart Street Pai’ade”
through “Most Gentlemen Can’t
Stand Love” and the socko windup
with this duo. At fii'st she suggests
a 1957 road company of the Vir¬
ginia O’Brien deadpan technique
but quickly assumes her own style.

Oi'son Bean marks his 16th re¬
turn to the Angel and his l’oiitine
by Chinese customers in an Ameri¬
can restaurant—a sort of reverse-
English Buddy Haclcett routine—
is a gem. He did it in John Murray
Anderson’s “ ! Almanacs.” He broke
in some General Gi'ant humor in
the second frolic that he seemingly
l-ecognizes should be l’eentombed.
But in toto an engaging personality.
This is his fifth year back at the
East 55th St. bistro.

Enid Mosier and her Steel Band
(3 > just closed, with the calypso
show at the Roxy, and are headed
for the Mocambo, Hollywood, next
week, when they’ll be replaced by
Diahann Carroll (ex-“House of
Flowei’s”). Miss Mosier is a savvy
pro, too, with her patois French
calypsos. The* three male aides’
showing how the steel-drumhead
instrumentsi are tuned to 24, 16
and seven notes is good audience
appeal. They switch to a drums
and bongo accomp for her “St.
Louis Blues” (beguine treatment)
signoff. Miss Mosier has a couple
of saucy lyrics but is well attuned
to the sophisticate cafe circuits.
Betimes she reminds of the Peaii
Bailey influence. ,

Bob Gibson is a banjoing. folk
singer who broke in at the Van-*
guard, has played the college
ciiouits and lesser boites, has two
Riverside albums and .has just
switched to Decca. His folk song¬
alog is offbeat, too, running the
gamut from “Pretoria” (South
Africa) to a Confederate song to
a Norwegian type song, with a
“sad” calypso and “Saints Come
Marching In” in between. He does
all his stuff to self-accomp. Okay
for the intimeries but needs a more
definitive point of view for broader
impact. He’ll get there all right;
it’s a matter of matui’ity and
routining.

Per usual Bart Howard is a per¬
sonable emcee and intermission
.pianist, and the Jimmy Lyon Trio
the durable blackstoppers. Coming:
Spivy on May .15, Abel.

Bellevue Casino, Mont’l

Montreal, April 27.
Joe Howard, The Coronados (3),
The Alcettys (2), Francesca Kae,
Roger Coleman, Casino Lovelies
(10), Bix Belair Orch ('ll), Byddy
Clayton Trio ; $1 admission.

For their eighth anniversary
show, co-owners Harry Holfnok
and Jack Suz bring back the evex’-
lasting Joe Howard as headliner.
When this big room opened several
yeai-s ago, Howard topped the bill
and for business and sentimental
reasons, the management- has
brought him back every year since.

Howard, who admits to 89
years, still manages to .wow as he
reprises his all-time standards. For
a man of his yeai’s he is still in
okay voice and amazingly agile con¬
sidering he does a stout 20 min¬
utes or more every appearance
(twice a night during the week and
three times on Saturday and Sun¬
day nights). As per always he is
garbed in immaculate evening
clothes (brown) and obliges with
customer requests as well as his
regular songalog.

Preceding the Howard offering,
the Alcettys prove jto be one of
the best acts brought into this spot
for some time. Male half of duo
U U'jfljo V3S64 i! '.a 3‘1 \ ><1 .

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

specializes in plate spinning and
works a vast assortment of sticks,
long and short, for plaudits.
Femme partner is a looker and an
able assistant without getting in
the way.

Hoofer Francesca Kae spai-ks
one of sock Craig Daye produc¬
tions and then clicks nicely, during
a solo stint. Diminutive oriental
is visually attractive and has talent.
Emcee Roger Coleman gets off a
lot of sometimes unnecessary gab¬
bing during the sessions but scores
in his brief vocal slot. The Coron¬
ados, a youthful trio of two guys
and s girl, mix some light comedy
with their ballads tor a fine recep¬
tion in closing stanza of layout.
Distaff, side of act .does much to
lift routining out of the average
groove with her piping and lithe
figure.

Surrounding the entire show and
as usual taking all visual kudos
are the productions and the chor¬
eography of Craig Daye. Costumes
are fresh and colorful and all con¬
cerned are attractive and having
a good time.' The Belair oi’ch backs
showcase with the Clayton combo
doing interlude music. * Feature
acts hold until May 8 with px’oduc-
tions staying a month. Newt.

Riverside. Reno

Reno, April 25.

Goal Grant, Davis & Reese,
Starlets (9), Bill Clifford Orch fea¬
turing Louise Vienna; $2 minimum.

Gogi Grant was knocked out by
a flu bug for her second show
opening night, but was "on hand
Friday (26) for a stx-ong, nicely
paced show. Without a “pop” tune
to throw out because thei-e’s hard¬
ly a ballad arpund that’s popular,
she has a great time revamping
some classic oldies. “Without a
Song,” with only a very light piano
background, is a real sample of her
polished handling of a tune. > Hav¬
ing just dubbed the voice for “The
Helen Morgan Stoxy,” she plugs
this with “I Can’t Give You Any¬
thing But. Love.”

While her program is pat, she
makes her point in introducing
tunes and gets on with the busi¬
ness. For the light touch she re¬
minds the audience how little
there is to complain of with today’s
so-called bad novelty tunes, and
.then proceeds to trot out the nov¬
elties of past eras—“B arney
Google,” “Mairzy Doats” and “Hold
Tight,” winding up with today's
entry “Hound Dog” Miss Grant’s
endings are always impressive as
she belts out the last few notes
with full lung power..

Com" s Davis & Reese make out
very wtil in their second engage¬
ment in. this room. Offering is
strong everywhere but at the very
opening, with Davis leading the
band in ever increasing Volume
while Reese gets more excited with
his opening speech. But with this
out of the way, they catch continu¬
ous laughs. Davis and his punchy
boxer are a standard bit and still a
highpoint'.

• The Starlets put together an ex¬
travagant , opener on a charming
and authentic oriental theme. The
girls as coolies' in short jackets and
coolie hats intro a dancer in rick¬
shaw. Whole theme is handled
with delightful oriental delicacy.

Bill Clifford sets up Miss Grant's
songalog in usual smart fashion.
Early summer-type weather will
keep the show in good houses for
the two-week frame. Mark.

Crescendo, Houston

Houston, April 26.
Jo Ann Miller, Wayne Roland,
Jose Ortiz Orch (5); $3 minimum
Sat. only.

New offering at Club Crescendo
points up good insight of pri-
vatery’s talent scout, Jack Lutey.
In spite of limited resources. Lutey
searches for up-and-comers, usual¬
ly hitting target of what Houston
customers want in nitery enter¬
tainment. Case in point is nicely
balanced, low pressure combina¬
tion of thrush Jo Ann Miller and
ventriloquist Wayne Roland. Act
was caught third* night, by which
time ringsiders had appearance of
a laughing family gathering rather
than show-me nitery customers.

Gal singer mixes her offerings
with showtqnes, sph’ituals and spe¬
cials and all bring handsome re¬
turns and loud calls for more. She
is no torchantoosey and dught to
leave the soft & sweet to othei’S,
but few can beat her in comic
takeoff department. Calypso spoof,
“Tragedy m Trinidad,” is droll bit
about love problems in the islands
and- results in two encores. “Young
In Heart” goes along in same satir¬
ical vein with sad spiel of gal who
marries a* guy of 87. That was one
the patrons sang to themselves on
the way out.

Roland is a cracker jack with the
dummies but his standup solo pat¬
ter could stand trimming. Patrons*
go for hand puppet* named Skee
who pushes trumpet keys while
Roland plays. Burt .

, a . . o •* w.. ,i ,i 3- ij n x fc j

Che* Paree, Chi

Chicago, April 23.

, Ann Sothern with her Escorts
(3) Bonnie Four, Bob Williams,
Freddie Letuli Trio, Ted Fio Rito
Orch (12); $1.95 cover, $4 mini¬
mum.

There is "sufficient fluff and
froth to draw at least modest busi¬
ness for Ann Sothern’s three-week
stay at the Chez. The star main¬
tains a polite register of applause
throughout her turn and the pre¬
ceding acts are fast. and furious
affairs making for a well-rounded
package.

The erfsy sentiment and broad
expressions of her “Maisie” pix
identify the expansive and mature
Ann Sothern whose, material is nos¬
talgic but not yet of such vintage
character as gets a remejmher-when
response. Her supporting terp
crew, the three Escorts, make quick
time across the > stage usually ac¬
companied by the Bonnie Four who
supply the choral backing. Better
costuming would add more color
to the routine choreography.

Miss Sothern serves the calypso
routines, the “Private Secretary”
skit and a cockney “Lillie of Legu-
na” signoff with a repetitive same¬
ness of her trademarked idiom.
This makes for some strain on her
one hour on stage. The terp de¬
mands cause her problems in spots
where the choreography forces her
to vocalize without the mike. She
becomes inaudible then , and the
stage'goes dead.

Bob Williams returns to the Chez
with his canine capers making for
a bright if familiar 20 minutes on
the program. However, Williams’
highpower salesmanship and well
trained mutts still rate house at¬
tention with their technical profi¬
ciency.

Show opens with the knife jug¬
gling and swinging hips of the
Fi’eddie Letuli Trio. This seven-
minute Hawaiian act scores as the
best starting act the big room has
seen in a long time.

Ted Fio Rito provides adequate
backing for the acts and the come-
on for customer dancing. Tony
Bennett moves into the Chez May
10 for two frames. Leva.

Amato 9 s, Portland, Ore,

Portland, Ore., Api’il 26.
Allan Jones, . ‘Allan Jones Jr.,
Gail Allen, Page Cavanaugh Trio,
Julian Dreyer Orch (5); $1.50
cover, no minimum.

The Allan Jones musical revue
is a huge click. The marquee value
of this socko package should cue
enough entertainment seekers into
this plush showcase to keep the
velvet ropes up high for the next
10 days. Bossman George Amato
has come up with one of the great¬
est layouts ever to setp onto the
elevated platform and should get
his summer parade of name atti’ac-
tions off to a fine start.

The 50-minute stint moves at a
fast clip and is loaded with enter¬
tainment for everyone. Jones is
still the complete master of the
song and works easy all the way.
He hasn’t lost any of his terrific
charm, salesmanship, or know-how.
He belts out a number of tunes in¬
cluding pops, classical and, of
course, a" few from his pix. He’s
on and off the stage, working with
Allan Jones Jr. and daughter Gail
Alien. The second genei’ation also
are first-rate in their -tune stuff.

Allan Jr. has a rich pair of pipes
and sells his wares with ease.*The
handsome lad is one to watch.
Lovely Gail carries on in the fam¬
ily tradition and wows with hei*
showmanship and chirping. Best
bets are a sensational telephone bit
with Jones singing info a phone
onstage with Gail replying back-
stage in a romantic love duo.
Thei’e’s special material to “What¬
ever Will Be Will Be,” with both
of the Jones boys getting plenty
op yocks. ,, _

The Page Cavanaugh Ti’io slam
out a group of standards for solid
returns. Entire unit is well staged.
Layout has, a good change *of pace,
variety, edmedy, and is interesting.
Customers show their approval by
getting off their hands early and
keep hall filled with applause. This
package is top-di’awer and sends
the patrons home in a great frame
of mind.

This newly formed unit is to be
the basis for the forthcoming tv
show, “Keeping Up With The
Joneses,” which will go before the
cameras shortly. From all indica¬
tions, Allan Jones has himself a
real' Winner for tv and for the nit¬
ery circuit.

The Cavanaugh tyio play the
background music for the stint with
some assist from Julian Dreyer
and his house crew. The* orch gets
the dancers on their feet during
the evening with danceable stuff.
House was packed when caught.
The Lancers open’May 6 . Feve.

j j 3 ( jo ti j 1 1 l »j « in it i s i l j > n

NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 67

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

Ambassador, L. A.

Los Angeles, April 25.

Tony Martin, Chiquita & John¬
son, Freddy Martin■ Orch (16);
$2 cover,.

What may well be the most
beautiful nitery room in the coun¬
try was unveiled to a name-drop-
per’s-delight-audience Wednesday
night (24) when the new Cocoanut
Grove opened its doors. It was a
strictly invitational preview crowd,
with Schine Enterprises picking
up the entire tab to launch the
new version of' its world-famed
rendezvous. From a party stand¬
point, it was a smashing success;
but it was something less than that
as an entertainment offering and
the management would have'been
better advised to run the preview
as a private affair, restricting the
press to the public ,bow.

Admittedly, for the preview
much of the buildup to the actual
show can’t be charged against the
layout. And the “welcoming”
speeches by Don Wilson, G. David
Schine and JY IVieyer Schine were
in keeping with the general atmos¬
phere of the evening. But the
show that followed seemed to be
a ragged first rehearsal, with
missed lighting cues and a faulty
sound system lending to the con¬
fusion. Too, top-billed Tony Mar s
tin essayed little that was new in
his stint, marking the reopening of
this top room and his 52-minute
chore was much too long for that
time of night. A portion of the
audience departed long before he
swung into the home stretch.

As a package, show has all the
elements for top appeal and in all
probability Gus Lampe is whipping
•them into shape to make the offer¬
ing match the elegance and charm
of the new room for paying guests.
It opens with an excellent Freddy
Martin overture of tunes he has
introduced in past Grove stands, a
melange that is a blend of the Hit
Parades of the last two decades.
It was marred, as was the -usual
good Martin dance beat, by a 'blar¬
ing sound system—a fault that also
lent an untoward stridency to Tony
Martin’s vocalizing. Overture was
followed by the top-drawer adagio
turn of Chiquita & Johnson.
They’re utilising their standard
routine, replete with^ skillful spins,
splits and whirls and highlighted
by a pulse-pounding somersault
drop to command ringside atten¬
tion.

As always, Martin relies heavily
on his trademarked tunes for this
venture, some of them undergoing
slight change via .new arrange-;
mentis by A1 Sendry, who also ac¬
companies and conducts for the
singer. Songs like “Manhattan,”
“There’s No Tomorrow,” “I Get
Ideas” or ~ <4 S’Wonderful” have
been spiced with such newer items
like “80 Days,” “Do I Love You
Because You’re Beautiful” or “Just
In Time,” all delivered 1 with the
Martin salesmanship and personal¬
ity. For this type of an opening,
however. Martin should have con¬
centrated more on an act than a
standup singing chore. Tom Lee
and Henry End designed the
Grove. _ Kap.

Club Sahbra, N. Y.

Leo Fuld,. Shai K. Ophir, Ora -
neem ( 4^ Sara Osnath Halevy,
Dalia . & Galia ,. Martin Roman
Orch; no minimum. ''

Motye Nemeroff is an old hand
at Israeli-type nitery operations,
having masterminded the Club
Habibi several years ago. This
time in partnership with Leo Fuld,
a vet singer and an impresario,
he’s gone back into the nitery biz
with the start of the Club Sahbra,
in the Westover Hotel, in the up¬
per westside section.

From all reports of what Israeli
culture is today, it seems that the
Sahbra has captured the right at¬
mosphere for depiction of a spot
representative of that country. Is¬
rael has acquired a culture that is
more Continental than'most Euro¬
pean capitals, having opened its
gates to all'countries. It seems to
be an infusion of modern minds
into a-Middle East setting. That,
shortly, is the atmosphere which
seems to have been captured by
the inaugural show at the Club
Sahbra.

. The show has modern overtones
in one of the oldest settings in the
civilized world. At times the mod¬
ern appliques on this very old cul¬
ture seem a little incongruous, hut
the show is always interesting and
entertaining.

Seemingly, this tiny Republic
has developed a high level of art¬
istry. ghai K. Ophir (New Acts) is
& mime in .the Marcel Marceau
tradition. A group worthy of atten¬
tion is The Qraneem (New Acts).
Others on. the bill include two
youngsters,-Dalia & Galia, who do
a pair of briefies in the Martha

Graham style of modern dancing.
In their flowing dresses they pre¬
sent a pretty picture. Although
Sara Osnath, Halevy has a small
voice, it's very expressive; but she
needs a more powerful mike .to
bring it up to effective dimensions.
Her tunes in the Israeli genre
come across well.

Leo Fuld, who originally came to
the U.S. from Holland and who has
since been a world traveler, has an
expressive tenor voice that hits it
well with his audience. He opens
with a Hollandische song, thence
into an internationally flavored
“Johnny is the One for Me” which
seemingly had its origins in Rou-
mania. His Gypsy song is a highly
picturesque bit.

The Martin Roman orch is ef¬
fective at showbackirig and* pro¬
vides dansapation. The ^oom in
which the nitery is located has
been refurbished. with murals in a
primitive vein that arrest atten¬
tion. Widely appealing floorshow
should not limit the Club Sahbra
(latter means native-born Israeli)
to a “regional” nitery draw. It
has general offbeat appeal. Jose.

Bold Radisson, Mpls.

Minneapolis, April 27.
Lilo, Don McGrane Orch (8);
$2.50-$3.50 minimum.

Minneapolis saw the “Can Can”
road company, but, of course, Lilo
wasn’t on tour with it. However,
apparently her Paris and New
York noise has percolated . into
these hinterlands. At any rate,
making her local bow, she was
greeted and welcomed by an al¬
most completely filled Flame Room
at her opening dinner show.

It also seems safe to predict that
enthusiastic word-of-mouth will
help to make the rest of her en¬
gagement equally successful from
every standpoint. She’s the first
French chantoosey ever to play this
tony bistro and, more important,
her brand of sexy entertainment is
completely different from the gen¬
eral run here. Moreover, it’s top-,
drawer and excitingly lively from
start to finish.

The glamorous, bejeweled French
gal, making her entrance in, a stun¬
ning low-cut. white creation, actu¬
ally brings the Paris musichall aftd
cafe to the Flame Room with hep
songs, some in her native lan¬
guage, and her dancing. Using
such props as colored balloons
which she distributes to guests,
costume changes and various sexy
business, she lifts all her numbers
to production levels. She’s here
; to May 9.

Don McGrane and his men of
music perform skillfully behind
her and add much to customers’
pleasure with their dance tunes. •
Rees.

Palmer House, Clii

Chicago, April 23.
Dick Shawn, Richiardi Jr.,
Szonys (2) with Leon Leonardi,
Charlie Fisk Orch (10); $2 cover.

The redecorated Empire Room
appropriately hosts the revamped
act of comic Dick Shawn, a re¬
peater here. Shawn’s impressions
convey to the audience more than
a mirror of sights and sounds.
There’s always an idea or attitude
being burlesqued through each of
his five turns. The audience eats
it up for a solid hour." His trade-
marked Civil War routine “Massrf
Richard” has undergone a revision
and sparkles, anew. The panto¬
mime of the effeminate baseball
player scores even heavier. “16
Tons,” “Elvis Presley” and his
takeoff on Sammy Davis Jr. are
all topnotch satires on the enter¬
tainment world. ,

Shawn belongs to the group of
“intellectual comics” who are hav¬
ing a field day in Chicago niteries
lately. His claim to distinction is
the visual appeal of his pantos and
the carefully outlined material is
too sharp to get lost in the clatter
of- knives and forks.

Richiardi Jr. makes with three
production routines, an escape act,
a disappearance and a suspension
with an elaborateness and rapid
execution that draw an awed re¬
sponse from this sophisticated au¬
dience. There’s none of the ten¬
sion conveyed by time lapses or
excessive patter that often mar the
effect of the best of the illusion¬
ists. He goes off to a solid hand.

Giselle & Francois Szony still
rate as one of the most impressive
dance teams on the night club cir¬
cuit. This airiborne duo twist
through some marvels of terp tech¬
nique well organized into a scheme
of contrasting moods and figures.
Keyboard accompanist Leon 'Le¬
onardi and the Charlie Fisk band
lend the necessary top support to
the brother and sister team. The
femme member of the duo is par¬
ticularly -well goWhed and the quick
costume changes don’t break the
continuity of the shOw.

Next on the list are the Grew
Cuts May 16 with the Page &
Bray dance team. Leva.

1'A‘RIETr

Latin Quarter, N. Y.

(FOLLOWUP)

Lou Walters is getting beaucoup
mileage out of his “Bon Voyage”
revue by insertion of new head¬
liners and other shifts in the' act
department from time to time.
Easter Week traffic was so oolala,
with schools out and the older
crowds and conventioneers in for.
an ogling of Gotham, that waiters
had their hands full in more.ways
than tray totin’. The package,
typical . of a Walters romp, is
bright, cheerful,' busty lusty and
bouncy, and an eyefiller-diller be¬
sides. In the running time and
global motif, it’s practically an
Around the World in 120 Minutes.
It’s top much for the money.

In the top and ender-offer spot
next to the .finale is comedienne
Jean Carroll. She’s the leering,-
standup - and - tell - ’em jokestress
with little pretentions at subtlety.
Strictly bing-bang* out of the
seltzer • bottle school, she knows
how to slay a homey crowd, but
last Friday’s (26) dinner hour just
didn’t happen to be one of them.
This consisted predominantly of
high schoolers booked enmasse,
and most of ’em didn’t seem to be
grabbing either the idiom or the
occasional Yiddishisms and the
manners thereof. Could it be that
this hep gal wasn’t aware of their
presence?

The teenagers would have been
duck soup for Miss Carroll’s
sapolioed television material ad¬
mixed with her “night club act”
a la Miami Beach, etc. Still, she
managed a breakthrough and was
ahead toward the end with her
straight song, impressions, and
trumpeting in the Satchmo Arm¬
strong manner. She’s a winning
performer and her material ranks
first-rate with the right crowd on
tap.

Of the holdover turns, they’re
all in with impact. Domininaue
the pickpocket scores with his
thefts, hot seat (with studes as
stooges) and magico. Trio Cottas
mate fancy adagio to hurdling by
a couple of Great Danes and draw
salvos. The Y Knot Twirlers make
a rapid dazzler out of their hoe-
down hoofing. Isabela & Miguel
click in flamenco sessions, The
Gay Blades (4) are a good har¬
mony team. Pamela Dennis is a
production singer whose colora¬
tura, looks and poise set her apart.
The Syncopated Dancing Waters
is a slick punctuator and back¬
grounder. The mass numbers are
from the top of the Walters-
Natalia Komerova-Freddie Wittop
shelf. Ditto the Jo Lombardi
showbacking and Buddy Harlowe’s
dansapation sets.

That six-buck minimum needs
maximum, draw to square the over¬
head on this romp. It’s the biggest
and best buy in- town for, say, a
10-dollar bill (with extras) and the
LQ had the ropes up this semester.

Trau.

Hotel Roosevelt, O.

New Orleans, April 26.
Jimmy Durante, with Sonny
King, Jules Buffano, Jack Roth,
.Ben Wrigley, The Durante Girls
(6),‘•The Cerneys, Tex Beneke Orch
( 14 ); $3 minimum.

Jimmy Durante, the Great Pro¬
file, toplines the current layout in
the plush Blue Room. It’s a big
entertainment package that as¬
sures SRO biz here for two weeks.

The 75-minute presentation is
replete with the Schnoz’s frenetic
delivery, songs, dancing, mayhem
and other hilarious fare that keeps
the tableholders yocking from his
walkon.

The wily showman is surrounded
hy top-drawer talent including
“my singing discovery,” Sonny,
King, who scores heavily; l Beh
Wrigley, a semi-contortive, pretzel¬
bending terper; Jackie Barnett,
staff tunesmith; Jules Buffano, his
companion pianist; vet Jack Roth
on drums, and Tex Beneke’s ver¬
satile musical crew.

Only act that does not become
involved- in the Durante comedy
pyrotechnics is the Cerneys, suave
dance team which tees off the
show. Ballrooitfologists feature
flashy aerial stuff and velvety
smooth routines that run the
gamut.

King registers strongly in a solo
song stint, displaying an easy man¬
ner and potent tenor.

The big wrapup Is Durante’s,
who gets the main segment of the
show on the road with “You’ve Got
to Start the Day With a Song,”
with comedian stopping the music,
as usual, to utter typical Schnoz-
isms.

Bellylaughs come fast from
Durante’s other- songspiels, his in¬
clination to mayhem, nonsense
with his chorines, his playing
havoc with busboys, waiters, mu¬
sicians and King, who works
throughout the show in music and
comedy bits, plus the ringsiders.

Other highlights are Durante’s
pounding of the 88, during which
he intros his latest tune, “I Love
You I Do,” the breakaway piano

biz and his sly insert gags and ad
libs*

Show closes strongly with entire
troupe in a rousing musical finale.
There is never a letdown and the
fun is furious from start to finish.

Beneke’s orch provides backing
for show and dancing. They*dish
up a solid big band sound with
some Glenn Miller traces still- evi¬
dent 1 in the reed-accented* num¬
bers, but they are included among
a variety-of standout arrangements-
with fresh rhythms and colorful
instrumentation. Dancers flock to
the floor. Show closes May 6.

Liuz.

Beverly Hills, Newport

Newport, Ky., April 26.

Jackie Miles, DeCastro Sisters
(3), Roberto & Alicia, Donn Arden
Dancers (10), John Juliano, Gard¬
ner Benedict Orch (10), Jimmy
Wilber Trio, Larry Vincent; $3
minimum; $4 Sat.

Greater Cincinnati’s ace nitery
adds to its long string of class
cabaret shows with the current
lineup of acts and location talent.

Jackie Miles and the Misses De-
Castro—Babette, Pegfey and Cherie
—who split top billing, give a full
measure of Comedy and songology,
with newcomers, Roberto & Alicia,
supplying the opening spicer with
Spanish and Egyptian dance flour¬
ishes.

Suave comic Miles piles up
laughs.galore with stories about his
unseen partner, Mr. J. Schwartz
of New York, and other ridiculous
characters including touts and
speedsters. Holds to near finish
his famed Gene Autry takeoff. A
wholesome 40 minutes.

The DeCastros, streamlining
their hour-glass figures in spangled
silver gowns, have switched the
color of their hairdos from mid¬
night black to bright red. Their
close harmony and clowning re¬
main unchanged, but new tunes,
including “Flowers On A Hiliside,”
are mixed with their standbys.
Fast half-hour.

John Juliano, lusty baritone, is
the new emcee and vocalist with
the Donn Arden line, which also
has Ronny Meren and Janet Green,
terps team, as additions. Helen
Traubel heads the fortnighter due
May 10. Koll.

Drake Hotel, Oil

Chicago, April 24.
Betty Madigan, Jimmy Blade
Orch (6); $1.50-$2 cover.

The challenge to entertainers at
the DraTce’s lavishly laid out and
snazzily serviced Camellia House
is the competition of the room it¬
self. Successions of girl singers
have struggled to make themselves
felt as more than another orna¬
ment in the plush fixtures and
brocade. A few have been able to
make themselves comfortably at
home here and 'bloom in the inti¬
mate confines. Betty Madigan’s
opening show teetered between
polite applause and warm response.

Gowned "in »an attractive peach
colored outfit, Miss Madigan makes
her place under the spotlight
seem secure from the time she
steps- onstage. Unable to spark the
audience into joining, her in
“Chantez,” she fares better later
with her swingy solo handling of
“It’s a Wonderful World” and
“Nev^ Fangled Tango.”

Following the usual policy in this
room the thrush flirts with male
ringsiders. Her quips register and
keep a keen edge on the audience
ear, but some of her offerings are
a bit inhibited and her capricious
expression does n'ot,-> get ' free
enpugh* to enliven her calyp»so and
ballad material.- Still' she wihds up
her 20-minute stint' to a healthy
mitting.'

Jimmy Blade’s six musicos sup¬
port thrush comfortably and man¬
age the dansology. Joanne Gilbert
is set for the Camellia May 31.

Leva.

Steuben’s, Boston

Boston, April 23.

Danny Dillon, Beverly Palmer,
Leonards (2), Don Dennis, Tony
BrUno Orch, Harry Fink Trio; $2.50
minimum.

Max and Joe Schneider are hold¬
ing over pomic impresh scorer
Danny Dillon for two more frames.
Beverly Palmer, blonde looker,
gets off some slick tap routines to
open layout. Leonards go fine with
a clarinet polka ballet bit and tore¬
ador dance. Don Dennis, singing
emcee, is off on a calypso kick with
strong rendering of “Take Her To
Jamaica.” Big-voiced lad rounds
off with “Do I Love You” and “Just
Another Polka” for big mitts. Tony
Bruno orch does its standard fine
cutting of the show and Harry
Fink Trio is okay in the dance in¬
terludes.

This layout is in for two weeks
to May 4. Guy.

Thunderblrd, Las Vegas

Las Vegas, April 26.
Arthur Lee. Simpkins, Dr. Arthur
Ellen, Lee Bowman, Thunderbird
Dancers (8), Al Jahns Orch (13);
presented by Marty Hicks, $2 mini¬
mum.

The rich voice of Arthur Lee
Simpkins, which” is r equally effec¬
tive on balcbfiV 'and basement
‘nptes, has rethftrcd to the Navajo
Room, whereJjoth cultists and new
fans aren’t satisfied with the time
limit which holds down the reper¬
toire of a fine artist. Not only is
Simpkins versatile in his songol¬
ogy, he’s a top showman. His num¬
bers include such a varied range
as “Donkey Serenade,” “I Believe,”
aria from. “Rigoletto,” “Marie,”
“Oh Susanna,” “Banana Boat
Song,” “Eli, Eli,” and the “Recon-
dita Armonia” aria from “Tosca.”
•When he asks his audience to join
him in community singing, he gets
a big laugh with, “I’m a southerner
from Augusta. Georgia, and if you
don’t pitch in and help me I won’t
sing any more Yankee songs!”

Extra added attraction is Dr. Ar¬
thur Ellen, the hypnotist who
gained national fame when he hyp¬
notized a girl on tv and prevented
her from picking up $100,000 in
cash which she could have kept—
if she picked it up. Dr. Ellen opens
his act with an uncanny display of
memory trickery in which the
audience contributes objects and
numbers recorded on a blackboard.
Finale finds him with 10 volun¬
teers onstage, most of whom he
dismisses as non-cooperative. The
remaining group does everything
he tells them to do. Such an act is
relished by the management, be¬
cause it has to be different at
every performance, which spurs
the repeater trade. Duke.

Hotel Muehlcbacli, K. C.

_ Kansas City, April 28.
Cordolins (4t), Tommy Reed
Orch (8); $1-$1.50 cover.

The four little redheads known
as the Cordolins are playing their
first date in this area for the fort¬
night in the Terrace Grill of the
Muehlebach. An ensemble of three
violins and .accordion, they have a
good deal of flash with choreog¬
raphy throughout and are all
lookers. Still, the show comes up
somewhat short at 24 minutes, and
could readily stand another act of
comedy or vocalling.

Movement is a key ingredient
of the turn as they reel off a wide
variety of arrangements and terps.
Lineup has Beni Gare, Nancy Sad
and Dorothy Starr on fiddles and
Suzi Chandler with the accordion,
the latter doing the m.c. honors
after taking over from orch leader
Tommy Reed. Variety runs from
“Holiday for Strings” through
“Bumbling Bee” and Paris medley
to “Arkansas Traveler,” all with
much action. Idea of mixing music
and dancing is novel and pre¬
sented to the customers’ satisfac¬
tion. Quin.

Black Orchid. Chi

. Chicago, April 23.
Mel Torme, Prof. Irwin Corey,
Joe Parnello Trio; $1.50 cover.

In the tug-of-war among Rush
St. cabarets, in which majority
business is pulled down to one end .
of the street or up the other, the
Orchid has a doubly potent advan¬
tage these next three weeks. An¬
ticipation has been strong both for
Prof. Irwin Corey, a big click his
last time in this room, and for
Mel Torme, a seldom-seen kid in
his hometown who hasn’t played a
date here in five years. It’s fancy
fare for the. sophisticated.

' Still, boyish, though fleshy, of
chin, Torme is an.engaging.ad lib-,
ber and.sdrefire on,the yppal side.
While some of the "“velvet fog”
quality is gone, the voice has a
comfortable sureness that comes
with maturity and bespeaks fine
musicianship; Half the time he’s a
standup singer, working before the
house trio, and to clinch the act he
sits in on the drums. But he’s most
persuasive sitting at the piano and
selling such tunes as “Looking At'
You” or “Mountain Greenery” jn
the jazz idiom.

Overall, there’s a desire to hear
Torme sing more numbers serious¬
ly, without the non-musical hokum
thrown into several of the songs
for purposes of showmanship. A
guy who can sing like Torme
doesn’t have to 'be a comic,
especially when Prof. Irwin Corey
supports him on the bill,

Corey’s comedy chore is splendid
for this room. Opening night (22)
he ' discoursed on “The Piltdown
Man and the Built Up Woman,” a
zany 40-minute digression of erudi¬
tion gone beserk. As a woebegone
professor, he deals out laughs with
pantomime, French doubletalk,
professional rudeness, lapses into
Brooklynese, and assorted non¬
sense. It’s solid from the first.
Show is booked through May 12.

Les.

68

USriety

Wednesday, May 1, 1957

VARIETY BILLS

WEEK OF MAY 1

Numeral) In connection with bills below Indicate opening day of show
whether full or split wpek

Letter In parenttv?*** Indicates circuit; (I) Independent; (L) Loew; (M) Moss;
(P) Paramount; <R) RKO; (S) Stoll; <T) Tivoli; <W) Warner

NEW YORK CIJY

Music Hall (R) 2 I Elizabeth Mannion

Roclcettes
Corps de Ballet
George Matson
Malta & Fernando’s
Gloria Ware

Palace (P) 4

.Vernon 3
f'aiermo - Bros.
Johnny Morgan
5 to come

AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE
Tivoli (T) t
George Wallace
Maurice Colleano Co
Jim Gerald
Jennie Howard
Queenie Paul
Millie Hansen
Peggy Mortimer
Bill French
Edna Busse
George Nichols
Nanette Allan
Dawn Emms
Jack O'Dowd'
Jimmy White
Noreen Carroll
Wheeler 4c Gloria
2 Randows
Jandy
Reg Park
Hill 4c Dale
Bowery Piano 4 ~

Gay Dogs

Dancing Debutantes
Enzo Toppano’s Co.
Flat Tops
Helen Pavette

SYDNEY
Tivoli It) 4
Richard Hearn*
Julia

Nicolas DarVas
Ross 4c La Pierr*
Lane Bros
Bob Bromley ■
Albins

Alwyn Lecki*

Frank Ward
Daniel Davey
•Lewis Jacob v

. CHRISTCHURCH
Royal (T) 4

K Dunham 4c Co.

PERTH

Ma|*stys (T) 4

Johnny Lockwood
Bobby Gonzales
Bobby Limb
Medlock 4c Marlowe
Balladlnls
Billy Rayes
Dawn Lake
Edit Juhasz
Darryl Stewart -

BRITAIN

ASTQN

Hlppodrom* (I) 2f

Hackford 4c Doyle
Franks 4c Lecren
Kendor Bros.
DeYottg 4c Delysia
Shan Masoni.
BLACKPOOL
Palace (I) 29
Smith - Bros.

Jimmy Paige
Grace Calvert
3 Quavers
Frank Harvey
Warcham 4c Marcia
Dennis Lawes
A1 Adams

BIRMINGHAM
Hlppodrom* (M) 29
Edmund HoCkridge
Averil 4c Aurel
Shirley Basscy
Allen & Albee Sis
Max Geldray
Richman & Jackson
Jimmy Gay
Desmond 4c Marks
BRADFORD
Alhambra (M) 29
Hylda Baker
McAndrews 4c Mills
Billy McCormack
Idris 4c Belle
Overbury 4c Suzette
Fields Puppets
Alexis Tr.

COVENTRY
Hlppodrom* (I) 29
Dave Whitfield ,
Sally Barnes
Ken Roberts'
Freddie Frinton
Brazlllanos
Johnny Lay cock
Les Mallini
Anita
2 May fairs

EDINBURGH
Empire (M 29
Tessie O'Shea
A 4c L Ward
Babette 4c Raoul
FINSBURY PARK
Empire (M) 29
Gary Miller
D* Verc 3
Albert Burdon
Desmond Lane
Mrs. Shufflewick
Suzl Miller
Victor Seaforth
Bobby Collins
GLASGOW
Empire (M) 29
Teenagers
2 Elites
Johnny Stewart
Les Silvas
Clifford Stanton
Rose 4c Marlon
A 4c B Black
Cooper 2

HANLEY
Royal (M) 29
Penny Nicholls
Don Saunders’
Marcellis
Nordics

Russell 4c Susie
Galnntas

LEEDS

Empire (M) 29

Nat .Tackley
Ken-Tones
George Lacy !

Dave O'Gorman .
Marianne Lincoln
Daphne De Wit
Hill 4c Billie
Rock 'N' Roll Girls
Curtis 4r Jee
LIVERPOOL
Empire (M) 29
Brian Andro
Kordites
Jim Dale
Gerry Brereton
Donald B. Stuart
P 4c N Delrina
Warren 4c Genie
Jim Couton

LONDON

HippodrdTne (M) 29

Dave King
Shani Wallis
Andrea Dancers

Jones 4c Arnold
Los Gatos
Jimmy - Lee
Metropolitan (I) 29
Reg Dixon
A1 Koran
Mackell 2
Len Marten
Dunn 4c Grant
Pertween 4c Marion
Fleming 4c Ptnr.<
Lisa 4c Eric
Palladium (M) 29
Platters
A 4c B Lund
Arthur Haynes
Mart. Granger's Co.
Benson Dulay
Leo de Lyon
Joe Black
Vivienne 4c Tassl
MANCHESTER
Palace (M) 29
Dickie Valentine
Anton 4c Janetta
Bill Maynard
Cycling Brockways
Digby Wolfe
Pierre .Bel
Freddie Harrison
Vera Cody Co.
NEWCASTLE
Empire (M) 29
Frankie* Vaughan
N 4c N Grant
Harry Worth
Keefe Bros 4c Ann*
Joe Church
Ossie Noble
King - Bros.

Skylons

Frencly4c Ptnr.
NORTHAMPTON
New (I) 29
Sonny Roy
Ronnie Collis
McKinnon Sis
Les Kalevs
Backwood Skiffle
NOTTINGHAM
Empir* (M) 29
Yana

Renee Dymott
Morecambe 4c Wise
Weldeen

Hollander 4c Hart
Raymills

Pharos 4e Marina

PRINCE OF WALES
(M) 29

Bernard Bros.
Sabrina

Dickie. Henderson
3 Monarchs
Lee Sharon
Maggy Sairagne
SHEFFIELD
Empir* (M) 29
Lee Lawrence
Gilbert 4c Sylvia
Earl of Wharncliff
Ray Alan
Baker 4c Douglas
Rayner 4c Betty
Mandos Sis
Cynthia 4c Ptnr.

. SHREWSBURY
Granada (I) 29
Ken Platt
Edna Savage
Earle 4c Vaughan
Hedley Ward 3
Ballet. Montmartre
P 4c P Page
Bob Andrews'
Curzon 3 . .

SOUTHAMPTON
* Grand (I) 29
G. H. Elliott
Hetty King
Randolph Sutton
Terry Dooean
SOUTHSEA
King’s <M) 29
Max Wall
Terry Kennedy Co.
Anne Hart
Jumpin' Jax

5 Speedacs

6 Teenagers
SUNDERLAND
Empire (M) 29

Ted Lune
Golding 4c Stuart
5 Dallas Boys
Billy Maxam

Cabaret Bills

NEW YORK CITY

Bon Solr

Phil Leeds
Bibi Osterwald
Felicia Sanders
Jimmie Daniels
Three Flames
Bruce Kirby
Blu* Ang*l
Orson Bean
Dorothy Loudon
Bob Gibson
Enid Mosier
Jimmy Lyon 3
Casanova
Jacques* Zarow-/ -

Alex Alstone

Chateau Madrid

Klrna

Goyo Reyes
Jack Marlin
Ralph Font Ore
Canay Co.

Copacabana
Will Mastin Trio
Gene Baylos
Hal Loman Dcrs
Tom Rockford
Marilyn Cooper
Tony Starman
Michael CHmsv <Or(

Frank. Marti Ore
Downstair* Room
Cqjl Cabot
Jack Fletcher
June Erlcson
Gerry Matthews
Julius Monk
Daphne Heilman
Stella Brooks
Blossom. Dearie
No. 1 Fifth Av*
Bob Downey
Harold. Fonvill*
Hotel Ambassador
Chauncey Gray Ore
Jani Sarkozi
Gypsies

Quintero Rhumbas
Hotel Pierr*
Jane Morgan
L 4c E Roberts
Stanley Melba Ore
Alan Logan Ore
Joseph Sucly
Hofei Roosovolt
Sammy Kaye Ore
- Hotel Taft
Vincent Lopez Ore
Hotel St. Regis
Julie Wilson.

Milt Shaw Oro
Ray Bari Ore
Hotol Staffer
Ray McKinley Oro
Latin Quarlor
Jean Carroll
Isabel 4c Miguel
Georgia Reed
Kitty Dolah
Carmen Phillips
Trio Cottas
Syncopated Waters
Jo Lombardi Ore
B Harlowe Ore
Hotel Plaza
Margarita Sierra
Ted Stracter
Mark Mont*

T

oumei

N*w Roumanian
Lou Menchell
Lorraines
Jeryl Chandler
H. Roth Ore . -v
Old Roumanian
Jan Bart
Danny Carroll
Sadie Banks
Joe La Porte Ore
Park Sheraton
Jan August
Spark Thurman
RSVP
Jo Hurt
Don Carey
Don Evans
Town A Country
Burnell Dancers
Ned. Harvey Ore
La Playa

Two Guitars
Kostya Poliansky
Dolores Dauphin#
Leonid Lugovsky
Eugene 4i Sonya
Andrei Hamshay.

Viennese Lanfern
Monica. Boyar
Judy Foster
Ernest Schoen Ore
Harold Sandler
Paul Mann

Village Barn
Norma Smith
Ralph Michele
Danny Davis Ore
Larry McMahon
Billy Kelly
Irving Harris .
Village Vanguard
Mae Barnes
Lurlene Hunter
Charles Manna
C Williams Trio
Waldorf-Astoria
Johnnie Ray
Emil Coleman Ore
Misclia Borr Ore

CHICAGO

Black orchid

Mel Torme
Irwin Corey

Blue Angel
Calypso Jubilee"
Jamaica Slim
Lady Sylvia Lord .
Lady Venita
Calypso Trio
Al D'Lacy Ore
Blue Note
Bob Scobey (7)
Salty Dogs (7)

Mort Sahl

Chez Pare*

Ann Sothern 4c
Her Escorts (4)
Bonnie Four
Freddie Letuli Trio
Bob Williams
Ted Flo Rito Ore "
Cloister Inn
Chubby Jackson's
Rascals (5)

Ruth Olay

Conrad Hilton
‘Skating Memories”
Boyers (2)

Clifford Guest
Colstons (2;

Karen

Jo Ann McGowan
Bill Christopher
Paul Gibben
Naomi Wold
"China" Clark
Anh Cucksey
Encore^ (4)

Frankie Masters Ore
Boulevardears 4c
Dons' (12)

Drake Hotel
Betty Madigan
Get* „ of Horn
Shelley Berman
Glen Yarborough
Peggy Seeger
-London House
Dorothy Donegan 3
Ahmad Jamal (3)
Mister Kelly's
Meg. Myles
Betty Miller (2)
Harry Slottag (3)
MarX' 4c Frigo
Frank D'Rone
Palmqr House
Dick Shawn
Richiardi Jr.

Giselle 4c Francois
Szony

Charlie Fisk Ore

LOS ANGELES

Bar of Music

Jen Jackson
Bert Henry
Jerry Linden Ore
CIro's

Lady Constance
Los Nortenos
Calypso Review
Gcri Galian Ore
Cocosnut Grove
Tony Martin
Chiquita 4c Johnson
F. Martin Ore
Crescendo
Four Freshmen
Lenny Bruce

Ray Toland Ore
Interlude
Jackie 4c Roy
Mocambo
Johnny O'Neill
Lord Lance
Frankie Sands Trio
Paul Hebert Ore
Moulin Rouge
Kirby Stone 4
Staffer Hotel
Glnny Sims
Dlok Stabile Ore
Zardls Jazzland
The Treniers (8)
Scatman Crothers
Jean Turner

LAS VEGAS

Desert Inn

Jane Powell •

Dave Barry
Art Johnson
Donn Arden Dncrs
Carlton Hayes Ore
Duties
Ben Blue
"Gags 4c Gals of
'57"

Barbara Heller
Ami Mason
Bob Douglas
Haller Girl ‘
Landre 4c Verna
Stuart Morgan Dcrs
Five Boginos ,
Garwood Van Ore
El Cortex
Tito Guizar
Lilia Guizar
Kenny Davis 4c -
Redheads

Buster Hallctt Ore
El Rancho Vegas
Joe E, Lewis
Zsa Zsa Gabor
The Continentals
Dick Rice. Orcb
Flamingo
Judy Garland
Flamingoettes
Lou Basil Orch
Fremont Hotel
Ish Kabibble 4c
Shy Guys
The -Make Believes
The Nitecaps
Gayle Walton
Golden Nugget
Hank Penny 4c Sue
Thompson
Lisa Alonso
Lee Maynard
Faye Ellen
Jig Adams Dixie¬
land. Band
- Hacienda
"Can Can"

Denise Darcel
Kings TV
Cow Eyes Engler
Bruce Davis
Rlvlefs
“Blackouts"

Ken Murray
Marie Wilson *
Barry Gordon Dcrs

Dorothy Dorben
Dancers
Novelites
Lenny Kent
Jaci Fontaine
Ray Sinatra Orch
Royal Nevada
Cab Calloway
Cotton Club Revue
SalUe Blair
Lonnie Sattln
George Kirby
Norma Miller Dncrs
Sahara

-Donald O’Connor.
Beatrice Kraft •
Larry White
George Prentice
Cee Davidson Ore
Mary Kaye Trio
Sancj

Danny Thomas
Augie 4c Margo
Copa Girls
Antonio Morelli Ore
Showboat
Jules -Savoy
Sanfly Sims
Gfene Bell
Gary Nelson
Showboat- Girls
Mike Werner Orch
Silver Slipper
Hank Henry
Peop-etts
Boubouka
Jessica James
Barbary Coast Boys
Jimmy Cavanaugh
Sparky Kaye
Mac Dennison •
Slipperett.es
Geo. Redman Orch
Thunderblrd
Arthur L Simpkins
Dr. Arthur Ellen
Fr antics

Thunderbird Dncrs
Al Jahns Orch
Troplcana
Eddie Fisher
Elaine Dunn
Jack Costanza
Tybee Afra
Cheerleaders
Ben Dova
Ken Remo .

Jody Logan
Nat Brandywynne

MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH

Americana
Betty Reilly
Gene Allen
Delia Wellington
Jackie Heller

Joe n Reichrnan Oecrf-JjGjferk’* Ffers-

Bar of Music

Bill Jordan
Gina Valent#
Guy Rennie
/Harvey Beil

Vivian Lloyd
Balmoral
Charlie Farrell
Sonny Kendis Ore
Tana Lenn .

Club Calypso
Tropical Holiday
Carlos Varella's
Cubanaires
Di Lido •
Mandy Campo Ore
Lord Buckley
Phyllis Arnold
Maria 4c Toni
Caney Ore

Edeh Roe
. Barry Sisters
kBilly Vine
The Rivieras
Henry Tobias
Mai Malkin Oro '
Los Chambos 5
Count Bernardino
Palmetto Boys
Fontainebleau
Robert Clary
D 4c J Prior
Murray Schlamm*
Al Navarro Ore
Sacasas Ore
London Town*
Arthur Blake
Katie Lee
Danny McCartney
Malayan
The Rlverps
Mighty Panther
Bahama MamaJ
Conrad Hodges' '
Culypsonlans
Monte Carlo
Norma Douglas
Morey Amsterdam
Leonard Young
Sid Tucker Ore
Murray Franklin'S
June Perry
Nat Poolgate

Richie Bros.

Dick Haviland
Johnny Franks
Murray Franklin
Billy Mitchell
Eddie Bernard
. Nautilus
Sylvia Froos
Dick Lynn
Antone ' 4c Ina
Syd Stanley Ore
Sans Soud Hotel
Johnny Morrison
Freddy Calo Oro •
Place Plgalle
B. S. Pully
Dixie Evans
French Follies
Seville

Mickey Gentile
Tommy Ryan
Johnny Silvers Ore
Rey Mambo Ore
. Saxony
Lamatta Bros.
Calypsonians
Cortes Ore

Roney Plaza
Lord Count
Katy Lee
Serge Valdez Oro
5 O'clock
Bubbles Darien*
Tommy Raft
Al Golden
-Parisian Rev

Thunderblrd.
The Kentones
Dick Sterling
Frankie Rapp
Rey Mambo Ore
Vagabonds
Vagabonds
Danny Stanton
Eddie Peabody
George. Horton
Jay Salerno _

Scott 4c Boyd
Frank Linalo Ore

HAVANA

Tropican*
Tula do Palma
Leonela Gonzalez
Paulino Alvarez
S Suarei Orq -
A Romeu Orq
Sans Soucl
Pete Hanley
Sonia Calero
Victor Alvarez
Ortega Oro

Montmartre •
Chavales De Espana
Fajardo Ore
Casino Playa Ore
Nadonal
Betty Reilly
3 Galanes
Sherman's Models
Dancing Waters
W. Reyes Ore

RENO

Mapos Skvroom

Margaret Whiting
Skylets

Ed Fitzpatrick Ore
Riverside
Gogl Grant

Davis 4c Reese
Starlets

Bill Clifford Oro
Now Golden
Billy'Duke 5
Nite Caps

LAKE TAHOE

Harrah's Dick Drake

Nelson Eddy _ Lois Ray

Gale Sherwood Will Osborne Ore

Pablo Casals Fest

Continued from page 2 ——^
beats and cues from lfis first desk.
There was technical virtuosity as
well as spark and brilliance. And
the suite had to be repeated at the
end of the concert because, due to
an unprecedented traffic problem
in that part of the world, a third
of th£ audience never heard the
first number and among them were
the Governor and his wife!

Mozart’s “D Minor Concerto”
with Rudolf Serkin followed and
showed the pianist at his usual
peak with the poetry and elegance
proper to the score and r the im¬
mense authority that is his in
every musical offering.

The second program had Bach
as its composer and Casals’ col¬
leagues made an honest attempt
to play it in the vein their-master
does, which is a unique treat.
Serkin as soloist has seldom been
in better vein. His interpretation
of the “Capriccio on the Departure
of a Beloved Brother” was a gem
and Maria Stader sang the
cantata “Weichet nur betruebte
Schatten” in a way which it has
not been heard for longer than one
can remember. Her voice, always
on pitch, is like an instrument and
admirably suited, as is her perfect
technique, to this kind of music
making. - .

Amusing touch was added to this
concert in the person of a 10-year-
old page-turner, young Peter Ser¬
kin, who never missed a beat and
followed the proceedings on stage
with such earnestness and concen¬
tration as to make it apparent that
here was a future musician.- He
shared in the applause as every¬
one/ else on this, truly memorable
evening.

Shoot 52 Abroad

Continued from page

Evqry continent will be visited by
American Companies.

Columbia will be the most active
in offshore production, with a total
of 13 features skedded, including
both its own and indies releasing
through Col. Indies will make 11
for United Artists release, and an¬
other eight indie films will be
made which haven't yet been set
for release.

Twentieth-Fox has seven on its
agenda, Metro and Ul have four
, apiece v * and ^Yarneqs t ajid Allied

Artists two each. RKO has one,
Paul Gregory’s “The Naked and
the Dead,”, to roll in either the
Philippines or Hawaii, dependent
upon the date of takeoff. Follow¬
ing i^ overseas sked by studios:

Columbia: “High Flight,” “No
Time to Die,” “Uncle George,” a
fourth untitled, to be turned out by
Warwick Productions. in England;
“Stella,” produced by Carl Fore¬
man, England; “Bitter Victory,”
France; “The Dong Haul,” “Sons
and Lovers,” “Notorious Land¬
lady,” “The Guns of ’Novarone,”.
England; “The Bridge Over the
River Kwai,” Ceylon; “Bonjours
Tristesse,” France; “The Mysteri¬
ous Island,” Mexico. .

United Artists: “The Quiet
American,” Joseph Mankiewicz, In-
do-China and Italy; “Paris: Holi¬
day,” Bob Hope, France; “Paths of
Glory,” Germany, and “The Vik-
I ings,” Norway and France, both
:Bryna; “Legend of the Lost,”
Batjac, Libya and Italy; “Saint
Joan,” Otto Preminger,- England;
“Calypso Island,” William Berke,
Bahamas; “Solomon and Sheba,”
Edward Small, gpain; “Bandoola,”
Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, Ceylon.

20th-Fox: “A Farewell 1 to Arms,”
Italy; “The Sun Also Rises,” Mexi¬
co and Spain; “Stop oyer Tokyo,”
“The- Townsend Harris Story,”
Japan; “Island in the Sun,” British
West Indies; “Fraulein,” Germany;
“The Young Lions,” France, Ger¬
many, England. ‘ ^

Metro: “Captain Dreyfus,” Eng¬
land; “Tip on a Dead Jockey,”
Spain;-“Seven Hills of Rome,” Italy;
Untitled musical, Japan. UI: “A
Time to Love and a Time to Die,”
Germany; “The Islander,” Italy;
“The Amazon,” Brazil; ’“Ataturk,”
Turkey; Warners: “Sayonara,”
Japan; “The Nun’s Story,” Belgian
Congo. Allied Artists: “Yuan,”
China; “The Incredible Yanqui,”
Honduras.

Independent Producers (no re¬
lease set): “Cat Girl,” “Black Ter^
ror,” American-International, Eng¬
land; “The Amphibian,” Bikini,
Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and “In¬
side Africa,” Africa, both New
Ventures productions; “Ride the
West Wind,” CoBer, Hawaii; “Cave
of the Winds,” Sol Lesser, Kenya;
“White Shadows of the South
Seas,” Benedict Bogeaus, Mar¬
quesas Islands; “The Pancho Villa
Story,” Ernest Borgnine Produc¬
tions, Mexico.

Lymon’s Teenagers

^I— Continued from page 2 aiJS
ment from Lymon: “I like your
hotels. Most of the stories are just
rui.tl<rs. Sure, reception phoned us
up one night and asked us to be a
little - quieter. We were rehearsing
number that hadn’t gonfe down too
well at one of the shows. So we
played quieter.”

Teenagers are playing a fort¬
night’s stint at the Empire vaudery
here, with change of support layout
each week. They play the Globe
Theatre, Stockton, Eng., week of
May 6, following with one-night
stands at Brixton y Wolverhampton
Bristol, Leicester, Sheffield and Ed¬
monton. A Dublin Theatre Royal
date is set for May 19, with June
3 week skedded for Coventry.

Prices at the Empire Theatre,
Glasgow, have been upped by al¬
most 50% for the Teenagers’ visit.
Top-price seats costing a normal
80c. are selling at $1.15.

Group opened here to near¬
capacity. biz in view of local Easter
holiday mobs.

Look’s Sinatra Bio

■ ■ I i I i Continued, from page 1 ——;
gross will exceed $4,000,00, “prob¬
ably a new high for an enter¬
tainer.” While Davidson extols the
“golden charm” aspects of Sinatra,
it’^s the recital of unflattering com¬
ment that’s precipitated some anx¬
ieties, in the pub precincts. David¬
son, as one example, cites the in¬
stance at last summer’s Democratic
National Convention when Sinatra
addressed an elderly . gentleman
who turned out to be Speaker of
the House Sam Rayburn with:
“Take your hands off the suit,
creep.” His: peccadillos with the
dolls make for some of the more
juicy morsels of Davidson’s piece.

Look says it is still insisting
that Sinatra live up to his contract
to write his autobiog and that legal
reps have been in correspondence
with Sinatra’s lawyers ‘but “he has
shown no d*^pf$9 ^,

flrg. Pix Law

===C* Continued from page 2 —-

was film critic of'La. Naciori for
years, and worked with EFA stu-
•dios as script writer and director
Guerrico, a doctor of medicine
originally, founded Lumiton Stu¬
dios and was at pne time a suc¬
cessful and enthusiastic producer.
Ferrando was a founder of Pampa
Films and also a retired vet of
both production and distribution.
Nicolas Coronado is a professor of
literature, a -vet journalist and
script writer.

This Institute will administrate
the Screen Promotion funds from
the proceeds of the 10% boxoffice
tax, and more important still from
the distributors’ angle,, it will advise
the Customs Administration and
propose to the Executive Power
the amount of the “nspeCtion
tariff on foreign feature film re¬
ports.

’i.0% of the boxoffice tax pro¬
ceeds may be used to cover Insti¬
tute administration costs, while
the balance must cover promotion
activities and subsidies to deserv¬
ing producers of 5% of any
amount their pictures may gross.
There will be plenty of coin for
these purposes. The President’s
second degree set up provisional
regulations for enactment of the
Film Law until the Screen Board
has been able to draft definite regu¬
lations.

In some quarters, opinion criti¬
cizes the Film Law as unconstitu¬
tional and another violation of
principles of free enterprise.

j Eddie Cantor

___ Continued front page 2

annuity, Society Security benefits
are non-taxable.

“I wanted to help those past 65
(62 for women) to better under¬
stand the’ Social. Security ‘retire¬
ment test.’ This permits partial
payment for persons between the
age of'■65 (62 for women) and age
72. Many older people who work
only part of the. year do not un¬
derstand they may be entitled to
Social Security payments for the
months in which they do not work.

“Especially concerned are the
show people who work only inter¬
mittently. Some oldtimers may be
losing benefits because they don’t
understand this feature of the law.
Many show business people may be
paid Social Security benefits for
months in which they ate inactive
even if they do work during part
of the year. No matter how much
I earn during" the year—this also
applies to everyone—Ida and I get
a Social Security check for any
month I don’t work or earn less
than $80 in a month and ‘ dm not
rendering substantial services as a
self-employed person.”

The wire and news services
played up Cantor’s last “employ¬
ment” in January, on the occasion
of his 65th “birthday party,” which
was built into an NBC-TV “spec¬
tacular.”

The Cantors donated their first
SS checks, as they will the others,
to Surprise Lake (N. Y.) Camp, the
star’s favorite charity. His first
check was $108.50 and* Mrs. Can¬
tor’s $53.20.

Vogel Sanguine

Continued from page 1 j—i

time that home-screens will be
“something akin to a. wall picture-
frame,” and which will permit the
projection into the home, of pro¬
gramming in. size and scope truly
comparable to theatre size.

But that doesn’t mean that the
picture business, as a going busi¬
ness,‘will not continue to be po¬
tent. Vogel is sanguine on that
score, too. ' How much pay-see
television for first-run films, into
the home, figures in Loew’s hori¬
zons is probably comparable to
whatever the overall .industry en¬
visions. Vogel is noncommital on
that. He knows that' the Culver
City ‘'plant has a stepped-up pro¬
duction line for theatre exhibition,
and that is his immediate concern.

But he is more and more con¬
vinced that Loew management was
wise (1) in leasing, not selling its
backlog outright, because (2), that
very “picture-wall tv screen” will
he' an even greater eventual mar¬
ket for still further rights. Not to
mention the full Technicolor val¬
ues, as and when tv’s own spec¬
trum production becomes a mass
commodity, which now looms to

feiwmjflffi................

Wednesday, May. 1, 1957

PftrtitifY

LEGITISIAXIJ

64

Eleanor Wilson and Bflly Miles
Team at Stockbridge; Other Stocks

4--

Eleanor Stebers Asiatic Operatics:
Warm Yank Personality Sells U;S.

Over Cold American Iceboxes

: --- : -♦

•Stockbridge, Mass., April 30.

William Miles, longtime operator
of the' Berkshire Playhouse, will
limit his production^ chores at the
bam to weekends only this sum¬
mer. He's curtailing his strawhat
activity' because of his duties as
writer-director for the Wilding in¬
dustrial. show outfit.

Eleanor D. Wilson, a local sum¬
mer resident and formerly a mem¬
ber of the company, will be associ¬
ate producer and have charge of
the operation during Miles’' ab¬
sence. Yale Myers will be stage
manager and Sally Hodges cos¬
tumer. This summer will mark the
26th season for the Playhouse.

Gail Hillson Quits
Gail Hillson has thrown in the
towel as operator of the Triple
Cities Playhouse, Binghamton, N.Y.
She ran thes strawhat for the past
five years, but claims to have* lost
$18,000 during the last two sum¬
mers. ’

The producer points out that the
house doesn’t have air condition¬
ing and was' hard hit during a
seven-week hot spell in 1955. Busi¬
ness was hurt last season by the
elimination of evening bus service
in the town. Miss Hillson also at¬
tributes her bowout to rising costs,
including, a rental boost and the'
failure of localites to erect a large
hotel as planned.

Another negative factor is that
Binghamton s is in a primarily in¬
dustrial area, which she claims is
tougher ,for strawhat operation

(Continued on page 73)

Legit on Anxious Seat
About Possible Handout
From Canada Council

Ottawa, April 30.
Canadian show business and par¬
ticularly legit is waiting intently to
learn how the Canada (Arts) Coun¬
cil plans to spend its $100,000,000
fund. Of the-total, $50,000,000 will
go to universities, but the other
$50,000,000 is slated, at least part¬
ly, to *"aid the development and
promotion.” of Canadian culture.
.The theatre figures it is part of
that culture."

Permanent director, at an esti¬
mated $16,000 a year, will be Dr.
A. W. Trueman, federal govern¬
ment film commissioner and head
of the National Film Board since
1953 and former university presi¬
dent. Associate director will be
Eugene Bussieir, head of the fed¬
eral citizenship branch.

The Council’s first chairman,
Prime Minister St. Laurent has in¬
dicated, will be Brooke Claxton,
chief Canadian representative of
the Metropolitan Life Insurance
Co. and former federal cabinet
minister. He heads a board of 21
people, all unpaid and appointed
for -varying terms.

The board includes Leonard W.
Brockington, president of the J.
Arthur Rank organization in Can¬
ada; Ernest MacMillan, retired con¬
ductor of the Toronto v Symphony
Orchestra; David Walker, an au¬
thor, and various educationalists,
industrialists, judiciary and others.
-:_ ***

Clark Back to Touring

Yankees’ Vice Walston

' Detroit, April 30.

Bobby Clark will resume as star
of the touring production' of
"Damn Yankees” next Monday (6).
He gave up the assignment last
March, but. is returning as replace-
<• ment for his successor, Ray Wal¬
ston, who’s; leaving the musical
next Saturday. (4) for a Hollywood
film deal. '

Walston withdrew from his Origi¬
nal role in the Broadway produc¬
tion of the tuner to replace Clark
in the touring edition. Clark’s re¬
turn will only be for three weeks,
since the show closes. May -25 at
the Royal Alexandra, Toronto.

. The musical finishes a three-
week run at the Riviera Theatre
here next Saturday and then plays
a split-week, prior to moving to the
Alexandra for a two-week stand.
Incidentally, Harvey v Daniels, a
chorus boy in the show, knocked
himself out with a baseball bat
during a first act musical number
last Friday (26) night*. He was
carried off the stage unconscious
and was hospitalized, but has since
recovered.

Ballet Economics

San Francisco, April 30.

San Francisco Ballet has be¬
gun $50,000 fund drive based
on "only major ballet company
west of New York” claim. Under
chairmanship of Harold L.
Zellerbach and Mrs. Jerd F.
Sullivan Jr.

Objective is to get funds to
subsidize season performances
in Frisco, help finance new
productions, sponsor perform¬
ances in other Northern Cali¬
fornia cities and help keep
dancers in Frisco through
grants-in-aid.

A]?AM Requests
Shubert Confab

The Assn, of Theatrical press
Agents & Managers has notified J.
J. Shubert that it is ready to begin
negotiations for a new contract.
The present two-year pact expires
next Labor Day. Since the Shu-
berts hre not members of the
League of N.-Y. Theatres a sepa¬
rate contract is necessary.

ATPAM’s three-year contract
‘with the League still has a year to
go. The Shuberts only agreed to
a two-year pact during the last
negotiations. Under the terms of
that deal, salaries were hiked 5%
for the two-year spread.

The same raise held for the
League, but with the added fea¬
ture of another -5%. hike on the
third and final year of ‘the agree¬
ment. That means the Shuberts
already have a 5% boost. to meet
in the forthcoming pact talks, pro¬
viding they agree to negotiate with
ATPAM.' The Shubertsr had orig¬
inally refused to enter into any
agreement during the last nego¬
tiating period.

MOST N.Y. LEADS SET
FOR BUS-TRUCK SGTS.’

The mobile production of "No
Time for Sergeants,” which will
tour next fall by bus and truck,
will look like the original one cur¬
rently in its 81st week at the Alvin
Theatre, N. Y., and actually cost
morp to operate. It will have-most
of the present cast, including fea¬
tured players Charles Hohman, in
the leading role, as well as Rex
Everhart, Howard Freeman, Royal
Beal and James Millhollin. f
The special lightweight physical
production, designed by Jerry Rith-
olz and currently being constructed
of steel tubing,, will have exactly
the same appearance from out
front as Peter Larkin’s original,
and will actually be more elaborate
because of the pre-ad justed light¬
ing setup,, extra drops and lighter
set pieces to facilitate assembling
and dismatling for short^engage-
ments. There’s still no estimate
of the cost.

Because of the complex scenic
setup, the extra moves involved in
the shorter engagements and the
increased salaries that, must be
paid the company on tour, the
break-even 'figure for the show is
expected to be considerably higher
than in New York, or for the sec¬
ond troupe already on the road
(this week at the Shubert, Cincin¬
nati).

' Maurice Evans-Emmett Rogers
production of the Ira Levin-Mac
Hyman comedy will fold Aug. 17 at
the Alvin, rehearse for two weeks
and open Sept. 2 at a spot not
yet determined. It will play both
guarantee and percentage engage¬
ments, including college dates,
civic organization bookings and
regular onemight and two-night
road stands.

Red Barn, Westboro r
Opens Season This Week

Westboro, Masfc., April 30.'
Red Barn Theatre opened its
20th season last Friday (26) with
"Bus Stop.” Heading the cast are
Dolores Fuller, Jim Parker, Robert
Palmer and Shirley Matson.

. George Bookasta is director and
Francis Mahard Jr.ris scenic de¬
signer, with Williarh E. Lafferty
stage manager.

Critic Elinor Hughes
To Be Married in Hub

Boston, April 30.

Elinor Hughes, drama and film
critic of the Boston Herald, be¬
came engaged this week to David
Jacobi, associated with the Brook-
haven Atomic Energy Project.

The longtime reviewer and her
fiance plan to be married in six
months. They will reside in Bos¬
ton, where Miss Hughes will con¬
tinue legit-film reviewing for the
Herald.

Eugene O’Neills
Posthumous Wow
At Boxoffice

Eugene O’Neill, having a bigger
production than when alive, is
about to break, into the major-
income class. With the scheduled
.arrival on Broadway in two weeks
of "New Girl in Town,” the late
dramatist stands to earn about
$5,000 a week in royalties. The
coin will, of course*- go to the
estate, of which his widow, Car-
lotta, is executor.

Although O’Neill won the
Pulitzer Prize three times during
his lifetime (for "Beyond the Hori¬
zon,” 1919-20; "Anna Christie,”
1921-22, and "Strange Interlude,”
1927-28) and is likely ^o get the
nod again this year on "Long Day’s
Journey Into Night,” his plays
were not widely produced and
were not smash boxoffice draws.
The playwright died Nov. 27, 1953.

Following the successful off*-
Broadway production nearly a
year agq^iand still continuing) of
"Iceman Cometh” at the Circle in
the Square, N V Y., the late author
hit the jackpot last fall with the
posthumous production of the auto¬
biographical drama, "Long Day’s
Journey Into Night,” currently in
its 26th week at the Helen Hayes
Theatre, N.Y. Another autobiog¬
raphical work, "A Moon for the
Misbegotten,” opens tomorrow
night (Thurs.) at the Bijou, N.Y.

The royalties for the O’N.eill
plays are understood to be the
Dramatist Guild minimum of 5%
on the first $5,000 gross, plus 7H%
of the next $2,000 gross and 10%
on everything over $7,000. On
that basis, the estate is figured to
be getting about $200-$250 from
"Iceman,” plus about $2,200-$2,400
a week from "Journey,” and stands
to, add about $1,500-$1,700 . from
"Moon” if it clicks.

The O’Neill estate will get a
straight 1% of the gross from
"New Girl in Town,” a musical ver¬
sion of "Anna Christie.” At a po¬
tential weekly gross of $39',000 at
the 46th Street Theatre, N.Y., that
will mean another $590 royalty, if
the tuner gets across and does ca¬
pacity.

Meanwhile, the success of "Jour¬
ney,” highlighting irtlm . overall
O’Neill boom, has sparked an in¬
crease in production of his plays
abroad and in stock in the U.S.

Evans Touring in ’Cart,’
Also Shills ’Sergeants’

Maurice Evans is doubling on
the road as star of "The lApple-i
Cart” and unofficial advance, man
for his own touring production of
"No Time for Sergeants.” The
actor-producer played the Shubert
Theatre, Cincinnati, last-week, and
"Sergeants” is currently playing
the house for a two-week stand.

Evans will also precede "Ser¬
geants” into San Francisco by a
month. "Cart” is scheduled for a
May 21-June 8 run' in that city,”
while "Sergeants” opens there
July 1. Both shows, however, will
be running concurrently in Los An¬
geles from June 10-29 which means
Evans will be playing against his
own production as he did on Broad¬
way yirhen "Cart” and the original
"Sergeants” company were run¬
ning simultaneously.

The producer-star who’s current¬
ly playing the American Theatre,
St.- Louis, appeared yesterday
(Tues.) at a luncheon in the Jef¬
ferson Hotel there with Warren
Caro, executive director of the
Theatre Guild-American Theatre
Society, to inaugurate the local
1957-58 subscription drive.

Dick Falk is associate pressagent
to Joe Burstin on the off-Broadway
productions of "It’s an Ill Wind”
and "Oscar Wilde.”

Old Age Security

Pressagent Arthur Cantor
and company-general manager
Jack Schlissel were comparing
notes last week on how tiring
the work-tempo is on Broad- N
way. "If we’re as tired as this
at our age, I shudder to think
what we’ll be like a few years
from now,” said Schlissel.

"At this rate, ,what will we
do when we’re, say 50?”

"I dunno,” mused Cantor.
"Maybe we* can go on twofers.”

Frisco Opera
Heavily Offbeat

• San Francisco, April 30.
The San Francisco Opera season
will consist of 12 operas sung 47
times between Sept. 17 and Oct.
24, General Director Kurt Herbert
Adler reports.. The'company will
open with "Turandot” and play a
total of 25 performances at the
Opera House before moving on to
Sacramento, San Diego . and Los
Angeles.

In addition to the American pre¬
miere of Poulenc’s "The Carmel¬
ites” and "Turandot,” the company
will sing Richard' Strauss’ "Ari¬
adne auf Naxos,” "Macbeth,” "Cosi
fan Tutte,” "A Masked Ball,”
"Lucia de Lammermoor,” “Der
Rosenkavalier,” "Aida,” “Traviata,”
"Butterfly” and, coinciding with
the 25th anniversary of the Opera
House’s opening, "Tosca.”

European singers scheduled for
American debuts include coloratura
Rita Streich, tenor Gianni Rai¬
mondi, baritones Umberto Borghi
and Guiseppe Taddei and tenor Eu¬
gene Tobin, a Philadelphian who is
a member of the Stuttgart Opera.

Making Frisco debuts will be so¬
pranos Maria Meneghini Callas,
Leontyne Price and .Antonietta
Stella, mezzo Nan Merrimart and
baritone Robert Merrill.

Conductor Francesco Molinari-^
Pradelli will make his U, S. bow
in Frisco, also.

Among other singers signed are
Blanche Thebom, Frances Bible,
Claramae Turner, Licia Albanese,
Leyla Gencer, Elisabeth Schwarz¬
kopf, Dorothy Kirsten, Leonie Ry-
sanek, Jan Peerce, Richard Lewis;'
Lorenzo Alvary and Nicola Mos- v
cona.

BOSTON SAVED AGAIN;
CENSOR CUPS‘HATFUL’

Boston, April 30.
The Athens of America,, which
this town likes to call itself, is still
protecting its innocent citizenry
from the infection of naughty or
just blunt words on the stage. Lat¬
est show to tun into the official
censor’s alert eye is the .touring
"Hatful of .Rain;’ 1 ’ currently, in the
second, and’final’week .of. its en¬
gagement at the 1 Plymouth.. ,

The muhicipai' nixer has exer¬
cised his elimination authority .on
the play’s "irreverent use of God
and God’s name,” and such words
as "Smother bitch,” plus consider¬
able second act lines of the dope¬
selling trio, Putski, Chuck and
Mother, including such references
as "grabbing me,” “grabbing inside
of my leg,’’ with accompanying,
nlotions of hands.

The actors have substituted
phrases like "doing things” for
"grabbing” and have dropped the
gestures toward the coked-up "deb¬
utante” who’s supposed to be in the
nude under her polo coat. “Hat¬
ful” folds here next Saturday
night (4).

Gretch Wyler, Robert Q.
Set for Pitt’s ‘Yankees’

Pittsburgh, April 30.

Gretchen Wyler, femme lead in
the Broadway edition of "Damn
Yankees,” will repeat the assign¬
ment in the local Civic Light
Opera Assn, production of the
show‘this summer at Pitt Stadium,
with tv-radio m comic Robert Q.
Lewis as Satan.

By ROBERT J. LANDRY

In the bosom of the Metropoli¬
tan Opera family of singers physi¬
cal power and stamina in a prima
donna surprise nobody, but for
some years even the operatic crowd
has been aware of a special set of
charged chromosomes in Eleanor
Steber. The lady has now returned
to Gotham from a three-month tour
of 17 nations, mostly in Asia, and
there is a rather delightful bit of
pigeon English invented in SaigOn
to describe her. They called her
"The Primitive Donna.”

While away being a musical am¬
bassador for the State Dept.
(ANTA booked) she sang with 102
fever at Ankara, competed with a
Russian Circus in - Indonesia,'was
literally the first Western soprano
ever heard in Baghdad, Iraq and
the first . soprano since (Jalli-
Curci in 1923 in a number of Orien¬
tal outposts. When the tour was
finally over, Miss Steber hastened
back to the States to play some
replenishing money dates while her
entourage of three (accompanist
Edwin Biltcliffe^ manager Keene
Curtis and photographer Holley
Erskine) took to the beaches at
Honolulu to recuperate from keep¬
ing up with what the American
(Continued on page 73)

New Sardi’s Restaurant
In Lincoln Square, N. Y.,
Besides on East Side

Vincent Sardi Jr. proprietor of
Sardi’s restaurant, N. Y., is already
looking beyond the opening of a
new branch of the establishment
in East 54th St. and is figuring on
ultimately moving the present
operation from the Shubert Build-,
ing in West 44th St. to the pro¬
jected Lincoln . Square develop¬
ment. He expects that to be about
1960.

The east side branch of the the¬
atrical eatery will be ready for
opening early next spring, Sard!
estimates. He has purchased the
building formerly occupied by Gil¬
more’s restaurant in 54th St. be¬
tween Park and Lexirigtoh Aves.,
financing the deal through bank
loans without taking in any
partners.

The idea is to continue the pres¬
ent establishment in West 44th St.
until the anticipated location in
the Lincoln Square development is
ready. With the planned construc¬
tion of a group of some six ultra¬
modern legit theatres there, Sardi
believes the theatrical center will
shift from the Times Square area,
so he figures he’ll have to shift his
restaurant ,along with it. His idea
is to obtain, space in the same con¬
struction unit with the proposed
new theatres.

As an even longer-range project,
Sardi anticipates opening a third
restaurant, in addition to the Lin¬
coln Square and East 54th St. es¬
tablishments, adjacent to or per¬
haps as part of the proposed new
building to be erected by the N. Y.
Times- at; f 0th, St; and West End
Ave., to .house its entire editorial,
business . a4d printing operations.

! The restaurateur, hopes to 1 work
Out some sort of' partnership ar¬
rangement with the Times manage¬
ment to run the eatery. Since the
opening several years ago of an em¬
ployee entrance to the present
Times building in West 44th St.
near the restaurant, a sizable num¬
ber of the newspaper’s editorial
and business staffs have been pa¬
tronizing Sardi’s for lunch and
even for dinner.

‘Darling:, I’m Yours’ Gets
Tryout Run in Frisco

*San Francisco, Apliil 30.

"Darling, I’m Yours;” comedy by
tv writers Fred and Elaine Shevin,
will open a tryout next Monday (6)
at the Curran Theatre here. The
show is being presented by Mark
A. Carabel, who acquired the rights
from producers Jack Present and
Harry Zevin, and Jess Kimmel is
directing.

John Ireland and Lisa Gaye wiU
play the leads, with Anne Gwynne,
Philip Reed, John Parrish and
Helene Heigh in support.

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sidferable fluency. HIS part Is sev- ,

prplv rActviotpH : liv thp scriot find hcsir DEckcn&t dnd slHiiilcr,

ereiy restrictea Dy tne script, ana . nrp <, pn fi v lnfprlnnprr>rnaks

Wednesday, May 1, 1§57

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tlon of three-«ct (four scenes) drama by tion. The best opportunities in nl t Mattorc are wnrlred niit comedy-drama by' Norman Ginsbury. lavish proOUCtlon.

Robert Anderson, stars Elizabeth Sellars; thls resDe ct are given to Peter Sal- of them all. Matters are worKea out staged by Tyrone Guthrie. Stars Walter Despite the visual quality, plus

features John Glen* Tim Seely. Staffed ,1 nAllahnratAr ntirl fn Gpr- whGtl tllB 3JLlIlt presents fl pflrdk^fit Slezak;* features Inga Swenson* Robert Glithri6*S inSDircd st&fiiinf Anri 01 *

by John Fernald; decor. Neil Hobson,.At Us ; . a StheCOllab orator and to URT- which nromntlv breaks into Goodier, Dorothy Sands, Helen Burns. S.SSXT.tJ 5 d Sle *

Comedy Theatre,. Londom April 25, W; aid-Cross.as^he .man from the. .Pi?™ p yj, e . D AfClarence Derwent. Wesley Addy. Peter zaks superlative, performance,

$2.50 top. ./flu ft ;■ ; i .•** • nriard'of^TMdS Rwenue. The' th .? voice of the husbands first Do|Wt , Maud sheerer, Guy Spaufi. i&Qbei hdwever,- “Gentleman!* may be too

^ * n e ira B^an and Bonald Shtaer BSSffeK

8SK SSStt hM°^wly P "l"me HiU th ls ^ er ad *£* ed Satt^ofTact’ &

A1 .. George Roublcek Cl?al ab ?F° a ^ b ,{ b notion 1 P cs attractive as a younger sister whose Miss Knight . Dorothy Sands mount held the rights for a tim«'

Steve . Ian Kelli tried to beat the long action-less t - tnmpc Charln>v Princess Charlotte . Inga SWenson mount dciu uie rignts ipr a time,

Bill Reynolds.. John Glen « assa g es hv making the most of romantic partner, James anarxey, .Henry Brougham Wesley Addy but never got around to filming it

Phil . Henley Thomas .Rff s “fvia gets laughs With a rackneyed Duke of Kent.Robert Goodier JJobp

Herbert Lee . John McLaren the various coming^ ana_gomgS Via t PP hnlmiA Pf»maindpr of 'Bishop of Salisbury.... .Clarence Derwent ooe ‘

- a service hatch. Tom tmgwood’s Laay^onynsham . Helen Burns ——-- ..

The New Watergate Theatre single partment set is more than dl«m- K£»i".Vr South Pacific

jClub more than justifies its -exist- adequate for the needs Of tne com- h vo £ p Clpm. Prince Leopold ..Peter Donat N. Y. City Center Light Opera Co

ence by the presentation of “Tea edy, ' Myro. e voice. . Regents Mother ......... Maud Scheerer (Jean Dalrymple, director) revival of

>> fv,r> wiovr _— - Regent's Sisters... .Mey Wyllie, Frances musical drama In two acts (18) numbers

and Sympathy. Since the play --<--——- • Greet, Joyce Ballou with music by Richard Rodgers,' lyrics by

was banned by the Lord Chamber- TIia BnlPAnV * •. n h -Princess of Wales’ Servant..James Neylin Oscar Hammer^tein 2d, book by Hammer.

Inin for mihlio oorformanro the ^ * .* 7 nn I a«v|| MAllniiUlin Princess of Wales__Isobel Elsom stein and Joshua Logan* adapted from

lam tor PUD 11 C penormance, ine . London, April 23. Lc21[ rOUOWUP Servant in Claremont House James Mlchener’s volume, “Tates of thee

management has to use the mem- London Arts' Theatre Committee pres- - ° s r Phena Darner South Pacific." Stars Mindy Carson, Rob-

bers only” device for the produe- entation of two-act drama by Jean Genet, .- ■■ ■■■ - . - ■ - - ■ Midwife . Ludi Claire ert Wright; features Juanita Hall, Harvey

tion at the Comedv Theatre It translated by Bernard-Frechtman. Staged Dr. Croft .... C^iy Spaull Lembeck, Alan Baxter,^ Martin Wolfson,

would Slave been / great pity if ' M et 2 e 2 ^ 57 de top. rts Theatre Club ' Inherit the Wind GJests MacGregor Gibb, Edward- Dunne, Jr., Dick Button! Bill ^UUikln! Staged by

5° SUCh le ^ al l00 P- . Selma Vaz Dias (NATIONAL THEATRE, N.Y.) Earl Simmon^JonWUey.^o^a ^^Fearnle^^

hole to permit it. Bishop ..J?°. b 5 rt After nearly two years run, In- footmen-Edmund Roney, Curt Lowens, this production adapted and lighting by

In just over six months the mem- Judge'*.‘.*.’.'.*'.1'.'.’. 1 '.'.'.'.^eSc Ksl h erit the WindV holds up as en- Rex Partingt on, Da^io Bam S^afsistSSfTo 0

bership of the Watergate Theatre Thief ...Maria Lennard thralling theatre. There are the al- T - rtr^cAntatinn pan ducer, Alan Green; makeup 6 and 4 hair

Club has jumped from zero to over Executioner ...Derry Nesbitt m0 st inevitable exaggerations in ^ a magnmeem: presentation can styles, Ernejt Adier. At pity Center, n.y.,

50,000, built up almost entirely Sorse® 1 . ? Aprii d oSich the performances and deteriora- Ejjf 24 ’ t $3 '^

during the run Of the original pres- Carmel '.'.'.'.’.'.'.'.'.'.‘.‘.‘.'.‘.‘.V.Hefena 11 Hughes tions of pace, but the Jerome Law- a’mnn« Natlv^Servant 1 KUtuchi ’ AHr Mark d Satow

entation, also banned by the cen- Beggar .David Maxwell rence and Robert E. Lee drama Neme Forbush .MiSdy k c^rson.

“wtttf thi Zlm cSintaf. F °" c .l: :!:.HaVei"“„w”r3S a I h f“K ^ ^and resSurceM

bership avallabie to buy tiSets; cSS pressed stoli”g“nd Peto^Larkffi

there’s little doubt that “Tea and Rebels . Sean Lynch T ’ a ®° be i^ T ^f, r Ji* y J ingeniously inclusive setting are .i9 ase

Sympathy” will have a hefty and -- also valuable factors in a vivid, v?a^ 9n thJ No^a^Cin^hu^v Lm Cmdr. HarbisJn' V.',V. . M Aian B^x'te 1 ?

highly proatable run. It is_ unlikely that the works of *«*<*<& ^ow.

was banned by the Lord Chamber-
lain for public performance, the
management has to use the “mem-

* ' London; April 23.

London Arts' Theatre Committee pres-

Legit Followup

bers only” device for the produe- entation of two-act drama by Jean Genet,
tion at the Comedy Theatre. It transited by_ Bernard .Frechtman. staged

would" have beenT great”5ity if ^ Inherit the Wind g e u1

there had been no such le^al loop- ’ m */; Se ima Vaz Dias (NATIONAL THEATRE, N.Y.)

hole to permit it. Bishop ...’.. Robert Bernai After nearly two years’ run, “In- foe

In just over six months the mem- J^ 1 • ... ve Eric House berit the Wind” holds up as en-

bership of the Watergate Theatre Thief ..'.'.* .* ‘!..'.'.’ * . .Maria Lennard thralling theatre. There are the al- ,

Club has jumped from zero to over Executioner ...Berry Nesbitt m0 st inevitable exaggerations in

50,000, built up almost entirely §orse a ! '.'.‘ ‘'.'.* ‘‘.*.'.*.*.*.’.'.‘. ? Apr a n d oSicn the performances and deteriora- PJ T

diirinff +Vi a run nf tVio nritflnal nrpe- n__*.Vrl.i tt..„ tinne rtf nono but thu .Tornma T.ow-

London and Broadway seem to Jean Genet, France's bad boy, will. Paul Muni’s performance re- chow-rasing

mental performance in tne title Ehnile de Becque..Robert Wright

part, plus mobile and resourceful Bloody Mary ... Juanita Hall

direction by Tyrone Guthrie and . . H f^

the most sumptuous physical pro- Lt. Cable .!.Allen Case

duction for any straight play in Capt. Brackett .Martin Wolfson

years,' the Norman Ginsbury com- se^ d ees ?! jim McMillan/ Lou wiSIr.^
edy-drama IS given , spectacular Ray Weaver, Evans Thornton!

speak and appreciate the same have the same shock impact on mains the focus. It is now a - Tf , „ Q „ Marines....Van Stevens, Dan fcannafin,

language when it comes to drama, London that he has had in his na- “meaty” acting job, deeply, shrewd- thl totat iB Charies Lehman

particularly when an acute and tive Paris. For one thing, censor ly concaved, full dimensioned and h it S aeUo £ pcrator • • .. • Sam ^kham

controversial issue is discussed and trouble will preclude any public richly detailed. It seems notably /?JrSL!c Navy Nurse s a —Miriam^ Gtaager, chr^ty

presented with such sharp theatri- showing of his plays, if the re- slower and less restrained than iJortlnt forPthe^oxoffice That^t . Finch, B^bJra Saxb^ BeuI

cal ingenuity. Outstanding charac- mainder are similar to this one, and originally, but especially in the , I ° r l ^ e )1 „ ox ?!;! r f Graeber, Peggy u Hadley, Betty

terization, sensitive writing and a in consequence they Would be con- long, stirring^second-act struggle -KoLt leman’’therefore is Liat .. Imelda de mS

horrifying example of the use of fined to the privacy of club per- between the Clarence Darrow and nfrfnrmannf Lt. Adams . Dick Button

the smear technique emerge as the forniances. William Jennings Bryan charac- shore Patrol officer.....Peter Held

standout qualities, with sincerity as A pre-curtain ruckus shadowed ters, the star’s playing has great ducer P Alexan 1 der I? , Cohen's ^o- Islanders< ' ‘ ’ Vie 'R^arTo,°^iaifdfffatow!
the keynote to the treatment. this premiere, resulting in the au- conviction, drive and color. s Julia Gerace

Elizabeth Sellars teaches new thor and an American translator Ed Begley remains Standout as {®diessentSlfv^weaTmaterial It r. , 4<c .. _

stature by her performance as the being banned for the theatre, ow- the prosecutor, the Bryan charac- selms doubtful material. It Don’t worry, about “South Pa-

schoolmaster’s wife, in the role ing to their objection to the method ter bringing! out- the carefully ex- Se A^^one 12 vears aeo in London cific ‘ , It s doing fine. . Only two

originally played on Broadway by of presentation. The author’s ploited geniality and “sincerity” J 0be ^ y ea j;| a eo m ^onaon, y ears since lts last reV ival 'by the

Deborah Kerr Jt is a highly per^ claim that the play is vulgarized of the Great Commoner with just S an^Wendk Hiller as 1 the soTr- ’gity Center, the Richard Rodgers-
ceptive. sympathetic and moving was countered by the producer’s the right blend of confidence and g who Ze? him and Oscar Hammerstein 2d musical re¬
study, in which she seizes the contention that heavy cutting had condescension The performance jggnSJelv ikS him like it the mains J re S’ ! ush ’ captivating That

dramatic potentialities of the final to be used to make it at all palata- has broadened slightly (m the re- a as ly a Todlrate hit But the suggests that as permanent City

'act. The scene in which she first hie to Londoners. The theatre had yival meeting scene, for example, g ^as a moderate mt. But tne Center-policy, at least one R & H

accuses her husband and then goes established a precedent by barring the actor now staggers back in- ar ®° R i y . classic be included m each year’s

into the boy’s room packs a power- admission to. any of their club stead, of giving the impression of lish^o^ityUVut alsoobviouslv musical series,
ful dramatic punch. members under 21. recoiling nwardly at Darrow’s re- ’ This revival of “South Pacific”

Tini Seely straight out of drama Whatever Genet is trying to mark about his having stood still dehaonstrates once more the amaz-

. schoS into atop W est End^^ole! Thec^eLS^^^ Topmost Americans, the ego- ing gaod fortune that brought to-

underplays his part In a manner J? 1 ? that ami the various other bits of centric, domineering, profligate gather two of the top -theatrical

to insure maximum response. He Sl q !!i n l a unconscious embr Jide?v that have hero of the Ginsbury play is of in- talents of this century. No one can

displays the skill of a veteran per- crept into the company's generally terest primarily as the son of King match the melodic richness of

former in his interpretation of the superior plaSiSg generally George ni and tHe uncle of Helen Rodgers’ music or the. eloquent

part of the young schoolboy falsely tKtn who'tolhe ™i„w: SU There baleen numerous cast Hayes (oops, make that read Queen TVinin nnl1nV\Apaftnn line nrn/litood

Although no revival can ever
hope to equal the miraculous cast*

pan or me young scnooiDoy iaiseiy “Z, .rsT’: A There have been numerous cast Liayes (oops, maxe mat read yueen xiaiumciiHcma mih-d.

charged with homosexual tenden- Jured ^ 5°’ L?! changes In some cases involvhig Victoria). That he’s a many-sided Their collaboration has produced

cies ' iinpoftant roles and K least onf character with a sardonic wit hard- at least four masterpieces, that are

John Glen offers a vigorous ^ ™£ yi 0 " u g t ^ y if instance pe?haps brtoglng an lm- ^ the fact that he;s also a « * to remain ifcrenmal fa-

study as the accusing master, and nSwe^ aeainst suTtablv draDed nr^ provement. Alan Hewitt, playing gross, greedy cruel vain self- vorites.

John McLaren plays the boy’s fa- Sate saf^s suooiied l?v the the Baltimore reporter patterned dramatizing glutton, drunkard and Although no revival can ever

ther in an appropriately confused modatlneMadame * after the late H. L. Menken, gets lecher. ’ , hope to equal the miraculous cast-

state of mind. Other impressive The girls 'have^to dress and keep full comedy value from the part, . The play, is moderately Interest- ing of the original “South Pacific”

performances are given by George U nillusion ^Vne^^c5Sit ^imaSS and also accents an element of self- mg and intermittently amusing production, the present edition is

Roubicek, Hy Hazell and Keith w Mmself as a General and trfat- spoofing that tends to make the without ever being really engross- prime quality. And despite the

Baxter. John Fernald’s sensitive hi^ elrl as a Wse anot^ character more humorous'and less mg or, and perhaps here’s the vital limited rehearsal time and the City

staging and Neil Hobson’s in- a j„dge saving l tMef from execu- smart-alecky and give it greater catch Personally affecting. The Center’s small budget, the show is

triguing set additional plus fea* ?io n g whOe fnother S as a stature. . wiHul, ^elf-indulgent hero ruling amazingly smooth.- Considerable

fures' Bishon extracUns confe^ions and Frances Helm seems somewhat in place of his feeble-minded fa- credit for that probably goes

The subject of homosexuality is intense in jthe fictional role of the ther, does have a kind of pathos.at to R & H casting director John

high on the Lord Chamberlain’s ^th nWpnitv nf w P an rf s . defendant’s, sweetheart, presum- the end. But the feeling he in- Fearnley, who staged the show,

list of banned topics for public 11™ of ably Written as a sop to tradition, spires is merely the forgivenness and R & H conductor Frederick

presentation in the British theatre. being included tor ito owe sake. ?nd Archie Smith seems a bit on of-toderstanding, not genuine sym-1 Dvonch, who batons lt. .

^London, Aprli 25. of C Illusion,^"kelena^Hughes as^ln wlfo^l^e^hecame^Kin^^eo^e^IY^ ib ^ and^engaginVNeUicT Forbush.

Toby Rowland & Lara Schmidt (by ar- inmate vearning to auit an<k join the bigoted preacher, and if he s wno later pecame King ueorge iv. j£ ber ac ^j[ng lacks the technique

rangement with Alfred de'Liagre) pres- h small daughter and Alec P° ssi bly less plausible than his Without losing the unattractive as- that only experience can give, she

entation of three-act (five scenes) comedy small aaugnter, ana Alec nrpf ippp, t .cnr thprp’s sepminglv pectS,«of the part, hlS playing Is lua - lCv U 1 ! j:

by Carolyn Green, Stars Googie Withers. .Mango as a Police Chief whose P£f „ npa * m v lifiiiirp f„llv dirnpn, nevertheless gives an honest, dl-

John McCallum. staged by Lionel Har- main gripe is that his position is greater and more interesting stress rect and winning performance. Her

ris; decor, Tom Lingwood. At Aldwych nft j. irnnnrtnnt Ptinngh to Warrant on the incestuous motivation. sioned, with brilliant .variations of cinoing is standout of course in-

Theatre, London. April 24. '57; $ 2.50 *o P . JSi^f SSl. Florence Williams gives a mood and pace. The fact that the ] f » mika

being included for its own sake.

"The players cope well with their
unsavory parts, Selma Yaz Dias as
the owner of the so-called House

the humorless side as the school- pathy.

fv™Dias e as teacheTwhoTu^ ‘ Urider Guthrie’s.fluid, versatile ca^^namrinaki^her Broad-

called House J he center of world attention. Leo H? V ph* wa y debut in the part, is a plaus-

oc Lucker is painfully constricted as performance as the Prince Regent lhl y nnH NplHp.Fnrhush.

of Illusion, Helena Hughes as dn

iWe and engaging* Nellie• Foibush.
who l&tcr D0C3H16 Kin^ George Iv. "hot* noting laplrc tpohniouc
Withmit Incintr +hp unnttrnpHvp as. ?. f her .acting lacKS tne teennique

rect and winning performance. Her
singing is standout, of course, in-

.ineaue, Lonaon, Apru o/; top. ^ rf X11 7 Florence Williams gives a mooa ana pace, rne iaci in« xne

££ tE? 4S? po?S^i toMm^morT p«^mert Sty t® ar the hU g.

Mr. prejudiced as the presiding judge. Bnil.

_ The irnifcf of: ‘'Janus''/.from ; P*dstie tune d rebel. , . Clero, _ , H ° be ‘ ingInd lovely, ranging deftly from. «• ? e< T e - Si.^h^H^vev

Broadway to. London shows once ' ■’ - , /11 •* n. 1 1 1 0 . 1 • the early scenes of her rejection featured performances^ by Haiv y

mo ^? Jbat comedy is terribly sus- Tlie iLoVeblrds Chi S Stlldfibdkftr Stock of the . weakling Prince William of Lembeck a .^^ u t b cr Billis, Juan

ceptible to sea change. The joke, London, April 22. b OlUUCUdlVCI plUbH Orange in preference for t^e man- Hall/ e PCating_her ori^nal role of

such as it is, is a feeble one, and Emile Littier presentation of two-aev P I CAr 1 Mai» ly Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, Bloody Mary, Martin wolfson ais

the only saving quality is the call- fersM a n ! “r. T & IV’MCKS 5% NeW Capital to the quiet, ominous interlude h ‘ a s s or ^^ s P l^ n aS B St P er

bre of the stars. i as . At Adeiphi Theatre, London, April Chicago Anril 30 of approaching motherhood. Her Brackett, as weii as Aian naxiet

Whatever the marquee status of 20 , ’57; $2 top. Studebaker Theatrp Co which scene s with Slezak are delightful, the sensible aide, Allen Case a?

MeC^u^may be d &eve? toe? SSS 'reportedly has lost over "$90',000 the outstanding moments of the ^Cabteanff lmelda de Martm

are obviously worthy of more sub- victo^^enars.'.'.'.*.'f e john U s b c r o e tt Isobel Elsom, who joined the The scenery looks just ab ®“i a l

stantial material. All of which in- Helen Sellars..—Biiiie Hill last October, has launched a fund* cas ^. on jy a we ek or so, before the it did on that original enchantea

dicates little more than a moderate 5«”*£ r n5i.V. ™ ising drive with, a .$50,000 goal. pre miere, ^believable and touch- evening eight years ago, and the

run. Doctor viicenr.:::::::::: Juuin y dvffi Response to the appeal for funds lng as the. tragic Princess of Wales, costumes, lighting and general im-

“Janus” falls in the category of Mrs. Mortimer... Bettina Dickson is expected to determine thfe fu- although her single scene seems pression recall the same old magic

U.S. comedies in which the situa- Prof^Gas'ton cii'e'vai * ’ ‘ ‘ ‘' To£ a Mac?uiev ture o£ the stock company, which discordantly written. Robert Good- of this superb Rodgers-Hamniei-

tions are too transparent jmd the Cecii Gibson.;. i'.!!’//.Douglas^ Hayes lost money on all but two of the ier is plausible as the Regent’s stein creation.. Wisely, the man

dialog, too obvious.. It hds profes- — eight productions presented to realistic brother, and Dorothy agement. has > scheduled the snow

sional slickness, hut little more. It Billed as a “laughter and non- date. Sands is' properly lively as the for three weeks, one week longei

strains for effect and particularly sense, show,” this play by Basil Also, there has been managerial Princess’ devoted companion. than usual. ttooe.

for its laughs. The latter are larg- Thomas more than lives up to its friction With Lewis Manilow, one Peter Donat is suitably' hand- t-

eiy derived from tricks in staging, label being a brisk absurdity that of the founding group* exiting the some as the ^ Teutonic prince who Set Name Quartet For
rather than from the actual script, sparkles and defeats criticism and board of directors after a noliev becomes the consort, Helen Burns ^ . .JL , n

■ Miss Withers,,one of the West should do well as a twice-nightly disagreement with Studebaker is convincingly guileful as the Re- Coast ‘Romeo ReVlVSl

End’s mnst versnHla nnfroococ whn nffovincr frtrt oiiTmrmv'oaoonn Tf ... _ . cfanf’c mlcfroee ayf/1 aronpo TTot-_ . _, , » _^ t. __ (..nn

more that comedy is terribly sus¬
ceptible to sea change. The joke,
such as it is, is a feeble one, and
the only saving quality is the cali¬
bre of the stars.

Whatever the marquee status of 20 , ’57; $2 top.

Tlie Lovebirds

London, April 22.

Emile Littier presentation of two-aev
farce by Basil Thomas. Stars Dora Bryan,
Ronald Shiner. Staged by Wallace .Doug¬
las. At Adeiphi Theatre, London, April

Chi’s Studebaker Stock
Seeks 50G New Capital

Chicago, April 30.

problem in getting on top of her on stage and screen.

Studebaker W tods upitssecond to^condaryTartr

production at the PaSadena (Cal.)

i trick. returning from their honeymoon to through May 12, to be followed by to fill a freight train, Motley has uurien, uene Jtaymona an<

McCallum, also an accomplished live with the bride’s parents who "Time Limit,” also plated for provided enough costume splendor ence Reed,

actor, plays the husband with con- run an antique shop. Complications three weeks. to restage the last- Coronation and The revival opens May 9.

1 to restage the last- Coronation and 1

Wedneid«y, M«y 1, 1957

Pfi&mfY

LEGITIMATE

71

Chi Spurts; 'Sergeants’ Rig $26,
'Matchmaker $23,500, Booth $18,400

' Chicago, April 30. 4-
^.Business perked last week for
’ the two shows exiting town last
Saturday.night. There is one new.
entry opening this week.

Only other tourer on the horizon
is “Apple Cart/’Tiue next Monday
(0) at the Blackstone for two
weeks.

Estimates for Last Week
Desk Set, Hands (C) (4th wk)
($5; 1,000; $29,600) (Shirley Booth).
Nearly $18,400; ' previous week,
$19,500. Slated to fold here May
11, but may be extended through
May 25.

Matchmaker, Blackstone • (C> (8th
wk) ($5; 1,450; $33,000) (Ruth Gor¬
don, Loring Smith. Patricia Cutts).
Almost $23,500; previous week
$17,500; departed Saturday night
(27) to continue tour.

No Time For Sergeants, Erlanger

(C) (33d wk) ($5: 1,335; $34,495).
Over $26,800; previous week $21,-
500; resumed tour Saturday (27).

Opening This Week
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, Erlanger

(D) ($5; 1.335; $34,495) (Thomas
Gomez, Marjorie Steele. Alex
Nicol). Opens tonight (Tues.) for
a run, on subscription.

Miscellaneous

Flowering Peach, Studebaker.
Stock revival now in the second
stanza of a three-week run.

‘GREATEST’ MERE $6,700
IN TRYOUT WEEK, PHILLY

Philadelphia, April 30.
The local legit season is limping
to a close *vith “The Greatest Man
Alive” in its second week of a pre-
Broadway tryout stand. The Den¬
nis King starrer was rapped by ill
three critics tMurdock, Inquirer;
Gaghan, News; De Schauensee,
Bulletin). What little business
there was came principally from
the cut-rate First Nighters Club.

With the departure of the com¬
edy this week the regular season
is over.

Estimate for Last Week
Greatest Man Alive, Forrest (C)
(1st wk) -($4.80; 1,760; $32,000)
(Dennis King). Comedy about a
simple would-be suicide drew a
skimpy $6,700 for its initial canto;
holds this week and then goes into
New York. . .

Evans Pulls Apple Cart’
To Snappy $21,600, Cincy

Cincinnati, April 30.

Maurice Evans in “The Apple
Cart” grossed a good $21,600 last
week, in the 2,000-seat! Shubert.
Top was $4.52.

‘ “No Time for Sergeants/* ten¬
anting the theatre this week and
next, at $4.52 top and $5 Friday
and Saturday nights, drops the cur¬
tain on Cincy’s road show season.

British Shows

(Figures denote opening dates)
LONDON

At Drop of Hat, Fortune (1-24-37).
Balcony, Arts (4-22-57).

Boy Friend, Wyndham'o (12-1-93).

Bride A Bachelor, Duchess (12-19-56).
Cantlno Beal, Phoenix (4-8-57).

Chalk-Carden, Haymarket (4-11-56).
Damn Yankees, Coliseum (3-28-57).

Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54).

Ewlge Faultier* Co., Palace (3-4-57).

• Fanny, Drury Lane (11-15-56).

For Amusement Only, Apollo (8-5-56). .
Class Cage, Piccadilly (4-26-57).

Grab Mo a Gondola, Lyric (12-26-56).
Hatful of Rain, Princess (3-7-57).

Houso by .Lake, York's <3-9-56).

Iron Duchoss, Cambridge (3-14-57).
Janus, Aldwych (4-24-57).

. Lovebird*, Adclphi (4-20-57).

Mousetrap, Ambassadors (11-25-52).

Naw Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. (12-18-56).
No Time Sgts., Her Maj. (8-23-56).

Nudo With Violin, Globe (11-7-56).
Plaintiff In Hat, St. Mart. (10-11-56).
Plalsirs Do Paris, Wales (4-20-57).

Flume do ma Tanto, Garrick 11-3-55).
Polish Theatre, Wint. Gard. (3-25-57).
Repertory, Old Vic (9-7-55).

Sailor Beware, Strand (2-16-55).

Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54).

Subway In Sky, Savoy (2-27). -
Tea A Sympathy, Comedy (4-25-57).
Tropical Heat, New Lind. (4-23-57).
Waltz of Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-56).
Zulelka, SaviUe (4-11-57).

SCHEDULED OPENINGS
Summer of 17th, New (4-30-57).

Best Damn Lie, Wlnt. Gard. (5-7-57).
Restless Heert, St. James'a (5-8-57).

CLOSED LAST WEEK
Under Milk Wood, New (9-20-56).

ON TOUR

Bed

Caine Mutiny Court Martial
Doad Secret
Diary of Anno Frank
Doctor In the Houso
D'Oyly Carte Opera
Free As Air
Glamour Girl
Kismet

Man In Quastlon
Month of Sundays
Mrs. Gibbons' Boys
My Wife's Mnci*

Pa|ama Gam#

Reluctant' Debutant# ^
Silver Wedding
Six Months' Grace
Spider's Web
Tima Murderer Picas*

‘Tops’ Slumps to $5,700;
‘Lady’ Bows L,A. Stand 5 )

Los Angeles, April 30.
Arrival of “My Fair Lady” last
night (Mon.) launched the Civic
Light Opera season at the Phil¬
harmonic Auditorium and ushered
in the beginning of a more active
local legit period. Town now has
a pair of May openings set, “Fallen
Angels” due May 20 at the Hunt¬
ington Hartford, and “No Time for
Sergeants” set for May 22 at the
Biltmore.

Estimate for Last Week
Pajama Tops, Forum (C) (27th
wk) ($3.30; 1,740; $20,000). Down
to around $5,700 for the session,
but still showing a profit; previous
Week, $7,500.

Tankas’ $65,

2d Week in Det.

Detroit, April 30.

“Damn Yankees,” starring Ray
Walston, hit a new record gross for
its tour last week, a terrific $65,000
at the 2,700-seat Riviera Theatre
here. The frame was the second of
a three-week Riviera - stand and
was $200 over the prior top take
registered during the first round
here.

The house scaled at. a $5 top has
a potential capacity of $80,000.

‘Cat’ Breezes to $28,700
In 7-Show Stand, Mp)s.

Minneapolis, April 30.

The Lyceum Theatre wound up
its worst season with a nifty $28,-
700 last week on seven perform¬
ances of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”
In the 1,850-seat house at $4.95 top
for five nights and two matinees,
Wednesday - through - Sunday (24-
28), this fifth and final subscription
offering starring Thomas Gomez,
Marjorie Steele and Alex Nicol,
drew favorable reviews and audi¬
ence reaction. Potential capacity
was $40,000,

The five subscription shows were
all that the Lyceum had during the
entire season.

‘Fanny’^Slows to $27,300
In Third Week pi Wash.

Washington, April 30.

“Fanny” is plodding along in
Washington, with a $27,300 figure
for the third week of its four-week
engagement at the National Thea¬
tre. This is slightly under the fig¬
ures for the first two weeks.

Musical has been a puzzle In the
1,650-seat theatre. It, has failed to
draw the regular Washington
showgoers but does well with the
tourist trade. Were it not for the
heavy run of sightseers this time of
year, the show might be in trouble.

House is scaled at a $6.05 top,
.with $6.60 weekends. Capacity
would be a little under $52,000.

‘Tempest’ Reading, D.C.

Washington, April 30.

Arnold Moss and a Broadway
cast will give two dramatic read¬
ings of Shakespeare’s “Tempest”
at the Library of Congress next
Monday-Tuesday (0 : 7) to wind up
the season for the spot.

The troupe will include James
Hagerman, Leon Janney, Roger
Hamilton, Patricia Peardon, Nancy
Coleman* Walter Mason and Ellis
Rabb.

Touring Shows

(April 29-May 12)

Apple Cart (Maurice Evans)—American,
St. L. (29-4); Blackstone, Chi (0-11).

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Thomas Gomez.
Marjorie Steele, Alex Nicol)—Erlanger,
Chi (30-11).

Damn Yankees (2d Co.) (Ray Walston)—
Riviera, Det. (29-4); Palace, Youngstown
(6-8); Paramount, Toledo (9-11).

Desk Set (Shirley Booth)—Harris, Chi
(29-11).

Greatest Man Alive (tryout) (Dennis
King)—Forrest. Philly (29-4) (Reviewed in
VARIETY, April 24, '57).

Hatful of Rain (Vivian Blalhe, Ben Gaz-
zara)—Plymouth, Boston (29-4); Her
Majesty's, Montreal .(6-11, closes).

Matchmaker (Ruth Gordon, Loring
Smith, Patricia Cutts)-^Ford’», Balto
(2S-4; National, Wash. (6-11).

My Fair Lady (2d Co.) (Brian Aheme,
Anne Rogers)—Philharmonic, L.A. (29.11).

Now Girl, In Town (tryout) (Gwen Ver-
don, Thelma Ritter)—Shubert, Boston
(29-4) (Reviewed in VARIETY, April 10,
'57).

No Time for Sergeants (2d. Co.)—Shu¬
bert, Cincy V <29-11).

‘Lady’ SRO $72,800 (7),
Holdover Stanza, K. C.

Kansas City, April 30.

“My Fair Lady,’ 1 costarring
Brian Aherne and Anne Rogers,
grossed a whopping $72,800 in
seven performances last week at
the 2,572-seat Music -Hall here.
The musical piled up’ $80,000 at;
the house the previous week for: a
15-performance capacity take, of
$152,800, a local record for a tour¬
ing show. Top was $5.60.

The tuner moved from here to
Los Angeles, where it began a 10-
week tun last night (Mon.) at the
Philharmonic Auditorium.

‘New Girl’ $50M
‘Rain’ $19,900; Hub

Boston, April 30.

The regular legit season is in
its final round here with the closing
week current for two shows, the
tryout of “New Girl In Town” and
the touring "Hatful of Rain.” Both j
exit town this week, the former
moving on to Broadway for a week
of final doctoring before preeming
next week, and the latter folding
here.

“New Girl” inserted a new ballet
in the second act, an impression¬
istic dream sequence in which
costar Gwen Verdon is surrounded
by stomping chorines who rip off
her dress. Two controversial num¬
bers deleted during the local en¬
gagement were “Red Light Ballet”
and “Oh, What a Wing Ding.”

“Hatful” drew unanimously fa¬
vorable reviews here, but was
trimmed by the censor, as detailed
in a separate story.

Estimates for Last Week

New’ Girl In Town, Shubert (MD)
(2d wk) ($6.25-$4.95; 1,717; $52,000)
(Gwen Verdon, Thelma Ritter).
Musical tryout version of “Anna
Christie” drew a fine $50,800 for
its first full week. Holds this week
and exits Saturday (4) after two-
and-a-half weeks.

Hatful Of Rain, Plymouth (D)
(1st wk) ($4.40-$3.85; 1,241; $33,-
100) (Vivian Blaine, Ben Gazzara).
Tourer opened to good reviews all
around. Season’s last Guild offer¬
ing nabbed a neat $19,900; hold,
through Saturday (4) and closes
tour here.

Ballet Basse

LA DAME A hX LICARNO

“La Dame a la Licorne,” un¬
veiled by Ballet Russe de Monte
Carlo Monday (22) is. an unadul¬
terated flop. This Unicorn-fed tur¬
key has choreography by Heinz
Rosen, who had Jean Cocteau write
the story for him. 'Jacques Chail-
ley composed the. score. Cocteau
also designed the original produc¬
tion. Karinska did the costumes
and E. B. Dunkel Studios did the
scenic chores for the opus as it
debuted at N. Y.'s opera house.

This is a sluggish, insipid piece,
filled .with pleonastic movements
and unimaginative choreography.
In addition to the pit orch, a group
of musicians was placed on a bare
platform on stage. The reason for
this placing of the sidemen is diffi¬
cult to fathom; certainly nothing
was added by this, it only served,
to detract. Chalk the whole project
up as just a big mistake. Wien;

SOMBREROS

Leon Danielian has put together
a cheerful and occasionally witty
Mexican-motif ballet, “Sombreros.”
Friday last (26) it proved the best
of the new works of the lacklustre
spring season at the Met of the
sadly-deteriorated Ballet Russe de
Monte Carlo. Combining toe work
with Mexican folk postures and
danced to Mexican music arranged
by Ivan Boutnikoff with Irina
Borowska and Deni Lamont in the
leads, it was distinctly more amus¬
ing than “La Beau Danube” which
followed. One unintended giggle
in “Sombreros” resulted from the
nun-like native costumes of four
girls. When these misses were
picked up by the ankles and
thrown Into a pile backstage the
audience just didn’t know how to
take it.

Ballet Russe set up its own in¬
vidious comparison by opening the
evening with “White Swan” and
following immediately with “Black
Swan” Pas de Deux. At the wan¬
ing of a hard season it was a very
Wan white swan (Nina Novak),
against the guest star’s (Alicia
Alonso’s) bewitching black swan.
Don’t do that to Miss Novak,
maestro! ‘ Land .

B way Mostly Up; Slezak $16,600 (6),
‘Pacific $57,700, ‘Shinbone $41,500,

‘Paradiso’ $27,200,.‘Journey $29,300

Business climbed for most
Broadway shows last week.' Re¬
ceipts dropped substantially, how¬
ever, for seven of the 26 entries on
tap the previous frame. In tradi¬
tional Easter Week style, business
started off big, but cooled off dur¬
ing the latter part of the stanza.

Capacity entries were “Auntie
Mame,” “Bells Are Ringing,” “Li’l
Abner” and “My Fair Lady.”

Estimates for Last Week

Keys: C (Comedy ), D (Drama),
CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue),
MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi¬
cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op¬
eretta).

Other parenthetic designatio-ns
refer, respectively, to weeks played,
number of performances through
last Saturday, top prices, number
of seats, capacity gross and stars.
Price includes 10% Federal and
5 % City tax, but grosses are net;
i.e., exclusive of taxes.

Auntie Mame, Broadhurst (C)
(25th wk; 197; $6.90-$5.75; 1,182;
$43,000) (Rosalind Russell). Pre¬
vious week, laid off; last week as
always $43,500.

Bells Are Ringing, Shubert (MC)
<22d wk; 172; $8.05; 1,453; $58,101)
(Judy Holliday). Previous week,
$58,700; last week, same.

Brigadoon, Adelphi (MD) (5th
wk; 39; $5.50-$4.85; 1,434; $45,1)00)
(David Atkinson, Virginia Oswald,
Scott McKay, Robert Rounspville).
Closes next Saturday (4). Previous
week, $29,900; last week, nearly
$27,600. Jo Hurt succeeded costar
Helen Gallagher last week.

Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC)*
(104th wk; 828; $8.05; 1,297; $50,-
573). ‘Moves next Tuesday (7) to.
the Adelphi. Previous week. $33,-
100; last week, over $36,200.

Diary of Anne Frank, Ambassa¬
dor (D) (82d wk; 653; $5.75; 1,155;
$35,000) (Joseph Schildkraut). Pre¬
vious week, $19,800 on twofOrsf
last week, over $19,000 on two-
fers.

First Gentleman, Belasco (C)
(1st wk; 4; $6.90; 1,037; $34,000)
(Walter Slezak). Opened last
Thursday (25) night to two affirma¬
tive reviews (Donnelly, World-
Telegram; McClain, Journal-Amer-
ican), two yes-no (Chapman, News;
Coleman, Mirror), and three nega¬
tive (Atkinson, Times; Kerr, Her¬
ald Tribune; Watts,- Post); over
$16,600 for first four perform¬
ances and one full and one partial
preview. Moves May 20 to the
Martin Beck Theatre.

Happiest Millionaire, Lyceum
(C) (23d wk; 183; $5.75; 995; $26,-
000) (Walter Pidgeon). Previous
week, $19,300; last week, over
$23,300.

Happy Hunting, Majestic (MC)
(21st wk; 164; $8.05; 1,625; $69,-
989) (Ethel Merman). Previous
week, $64,100; last week, nearly
$65.9100.

Hole in the Head, Plymouth
(CD) (9th wk; 68; $6.25-$5.75; 1,062;
$36,625) (Paul Douglas). Previous
week, $26,100; last week, nearly
$30,300.

Holiday for Lovers, Longacre
(C) (11th wk; 84; $5.75; 1,101; $29,-
378) (Don Ameche). Previous
week, $14,300; last week, almost
$17 v 700. ' ,

' Hotel Paradiso, Miller (C) (3d
wk; 20; $6.90; 946‘ $34,000) (Bert
Lahr, Angela Iltnsbury, . John
Em^ry, . Vera .Pearce, . Douglas
Ryng) f Previous week, $24,100;
last week, nearly : $27,200,.. > with
subscription commissions cutting
into take. .

Inherit the Wind, National (D)
(93d wk; 742- $5.75-$4.60; 1,162;
$32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous
week, $23,800; last week, nearly
$24,700.

Li’l Abner, St. James (MC) (24th
wk; 188; $8.05; 1,028; $58,100).
Previous week, $58,300; last week,
same.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night,
Helen Hayes (D) (25th wk; 150;
$6.90; 1.039; $30,000) (Fredric

March,. Florence Eldridge). Pre¬
vious week, $27,700; last w6ek, al¬
most $29,300.

Major Barbara, Morosco (C)
(26th wk; 207; $6.90; 946; $37,500)
(Charles Laughton, Burgess Mere¬
dith, Eli Wallach, Cornelia Otis
Skinner). Closes May 18. Previous
week, $22,700; last week, over
$ 21 , 000 .

Middle of the Night, ANTA (D)
(56th wk; 445; 1,185; $39,116) (Ed¬
ward G. Robinson). Previous week,
$23,700; last week, over $23,800.

Most Happy Fella, Imperial (MD)
(52d wk; 412; $7.50; 1,427; $57,875).
Previous week, $47,200; last week,
nearly $54,800.

My Fair- Lady, Hellinger (MC)
(59th wk; 467; $8.05; 1,551; $67,-
696) (Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews).

.As always, $68,700, with Harrison
out for the Friday night and Satur¬
day matinee and evening perform¬
ances. Edward Mulhare stubbed.

No Time for Sergeants, Alvin
(C) (80th wk; 636; . $5.75-$4.60;
1,331; $38,500).: Previous week,
$28,600; last week, nearly $34,500.

Orpheus Descending, Beck (D
(6th wk; 44; $6.90; 1,280; $41,500).
Moves May 20 to Morosco. Previous
week, $19,500; last week, over $18,-
300.

Potting Shed, Golden (D) (13th
wk; 103; $5.75-$5.25; 800; $26,000)
(Sybil Thorndike, Robert Flemyng,
Leueen McGrath). Previous week,
$17,500 at the Bijou Theatre, last
week, almost $16,100.

Separate Tables, Music Box (D)
(27th wk; 212; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021)
(Eric Portman, Margaret Leightpn).
Previous week, $24,200; last week,
nearly $25,200.

Shinbone Alley, Broadway (MC)
(2d wk; 17; $7.50; 1,900; $74,297)
(Eartha Kitt, Eddie Bracken). Pre¬
vious week, $40,000; last week,
almost $41,500, with theatre party
commissions cutting into the take.

South Pacific, City Center (MD)
(1st wk; 7; $3.80; 3,090; $68,812)
(Mindy Carson, Robert Wright).
Opened three-week run last
Wednesday (24) to unanimous ap¬
proval (Atkinson, Times; Chapman,
News; Coleman, Mirror; Donnelly,
World-Telegram; Kerr, Herald
Tribune; McClain, Journal-Ameri-
can; Watts, Post); nearly $57,700
for* first seven performances and
one preview.

Tunnel of Love, Royale (C) (11th
wk; 85; $5.75; 994; $34,000) (Tom
Ewell). Previous week, $26,700;
last week, over $30,800.

Visit to m Small Planet, Booth

(C) (12th wk; 92; $6.90-$5.75; 766;
$27,300) (Cyril Ritchard).. Previous
week, $27,600; last week, over $25,-
700.

Waltz of the Toreadors, Coronet
(CD) (15th wk; 116; $6.90; 1,001;
$35,040) (Ralph Richardson). Pre¬
vious week, $23,000; last week,
over $20,400.

Ziegfeld Follies, Winter Garden
(R) (9th wk; 67; $8.05; 1,404; $63,-
000) (Beatrice Lillie). Previous
week, $38,600; last week, nearly
$43,300.

MISCELLANEOUS

Livin' the Life, Phoenix (MC)
($3.85; 1,150; $25,000). Opened last
Saturday (27) night to unanimous¬
ly negative reviews; (Atkinson,
Times; Coleman, Mirror; Donnelly,
World-Telegram; Kerr, Herald
Tribune; McClain, Joumal-Ameri-
can; Watt, News; Watts, Post);
over $3,300 for opening perfor¬
mance, with press list cutting into
the take.

Opening This Week

Moon for the Misbegotten, Bijou

(D) ($5.75-$5.25; 603; $19,000)

(Wendy Hiller, Franchot Tone,
Cyril Cusak). Play by Eugene
O’Neill, presented by Carmen Cap-
'albo & Stanley Chase as the sec¬
ond in a series at an overall cap¬
italization of $100,000; can break
even at around $16,000 gross.
Opens tomorrow night (Thurs.).

OFF-BROADWAY

Career, 7th Ave. South (4-30-57).

Gilbert & Sullivan Repertory,
St. Ignatius (4-23-57).

Iceman Cometh, Circle-in-Square
(5-8-56).

In Good- King Charles’ Golden
Days, Downtown (1-24-57).

It's ah III Wind, Royal (4-23-57).

Land Beyond the. River, Green¬
wich Me^fc (3-28-57).’ : !

Oscar Wiide, ,4lst St.' (4-16-57).

Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12-
27-56).

Run Thief Run, Chanin Aud. (5-
1-57).

Synge Trilogy, Theatre East (3-
6-57).

Take a Giant Step. Jan Hus
(9-22-56); closes May 19. .

Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9-
20-56).

Closed Last Week

Volpone, Rooftop (1-7-57).

Wayside, Barbizon-Plaza <4-17-
57).

Giraudoux Twin Bill, Carnegie
Hall Playhouse (4-9-57).

Closed Previous Week

Dr. Faustus Sc Parade at the
Devil’s Bride, Blackfriars’ (2-18-
57),

SCHEDULED N Y. OPENINGS

(Theatres indicated if set)

Oraatest Man Aliva, Barrymore (5-8).
Pajama Gama, City Center (5-15).

New Girl In Town, 46th St. (5-14).

OFF-BROADWAY

Pigeon, Labor Temple (5-15-57).
Beautiful Jailer, Actors (5-16-57).
simply Heavenly, 85th St. (5-21-57).
Magic Carpet, Jan Hus (3-27-57X

72

LEGITIMATE

Ptfia&IETY

Legit

Norman Maibaum, gerieral man¬
ager for the Carmen Capalbo-Stan-
ley Chase productions of “Three¬
penny Opera,” “Potting Shed” and
“Moon for the' Misbegotten,” is
doubling as company manager on
“Moon,” which ■ opens.- tomorrow
(Thurs.) night at jthQl Bjjou Thea¬
tre, N. Y. Robert Heqtftr and Ar-
thur Waxman are company maiK
agers, respectively, of “Shed” and
“Threepenny.”

Carlo: D'Angelo has . succeeded
Burleigh Sandforde as director of
“Run Thief Run,” opening at . the
Chanin Auditorium, N. Y., tonight
(Wed.). C. Edwin Khill, general
manager of the Broadway produc¬
tion of “Happiest Millionaire,” is
dittoing for “Thief."

Paula Stone and her husband
Michael Sloane have scheduled an
Oct. 27 Broadway preem for their
production of “Rumple,” a musical
with book, by Irving Phillips, lyrics
by Frank Reardon and music by
Jeff Schweikert. An out-of-town
tryout tour is -slated to get under¬
way Sept, 28 at the Colonial Thea¬
tre, Boston. Jack Donahue will be
director and Bob Hamilton chore¬
ographer.

“Apollo,” the collective title of
the Jean Giradoux double-bill
which opened recently at the Car¬
negie Hall Playhouse, N. Y., shut¬
tered abruptly last Saturday (27).
Earlier in the week the owners of
the theatre had filed an action in
Municipal Court for a judgment
against producers Leo Shull, Mary
Learson and Anne Eisen, charging
failure to comply with certain con¬
tractual obligations'. The Court's
decision was due this week. t

A $5,133 assessment in back
taxes and penalties against Mc¬
Bride's. New York theatre ticket
brokerage firm, has been upheld
by the Appellate Division. The
assessment was based on the out¬
fit’s business from July 1, 1944-
June 30, 1947, and covered $3,183
tax and $1,950 in penalties.

John Duff Stradley's “Wayside,”
which ended a 12-performance run
at the Barbizon Plaza Theatre,
N. Y., last Sunday (28), has been
purchased by Columbia Pictures
for $35,000, with the author getting
another $12,500 to write the
screenplay.

A double bill, comprising a
dramatic reading of Vachel Lind¬
say's “The Congo” and Robinson
Jeffers' “The Cretan Woman,” is
being presented tonight (Wed.)
through next Sunday (5) by the
Equity Library Theatre at the
Lenox Hill Playhouse, N. Y.

William Shatncr has withdrawn
from the Stratford (Ont.) Shake¬
spearean Festival acting company
this summer to make his first film
under a five-year Metro pact. His
actress-wife, Gloria Nord, is also
exiting the Bardfegt. Donald Har-
ron, currently appearing in the
Broadway production of “Separate
Tables,” may replace Shatner as
Laertes in “Hamlet.”

James Hughes has succeeded
George Zorn as company manager
for “Brigaoon” at the Adelphi The¬
atre, N. Y.

Marcia Gould has the femme
lead in “Picnic” at St. John's
Hall, N. Y.

Jack Bostic and Dick Via, who
were with the American Theatre
in Rome, are returning to New
York via London aboard the Queen
Mary, which docks next Tues¬
day (7). /"

Playwright Robert E. Lee, com¬
pletely recoveted from surgery for
a brain tumor, is due in New York
from the Coast next Sunday (5) to
get together with his collaborator,
Jerome Lawrence, on a new play
they’ve been working oin titled
“The Gang’s,All Here."

Ethel Merman planes ; tQ. Wash*
ington tonight,.(Wed.) after her
performance in “Happy Hunting”
at the Majestic Theatre,'N. Y., to
guest tomorrow morning (Thurs.)
at the annual breakfast of the Con¬
gressional Club of Washington
honoring Mrs. Dwight D. Eisen¬
hower. The actress will plane back
to N. Y. after the breakfast.

Martin Landau has taken ovet
Lee Philips' role in “Middle of the
Night,” the latter having left the

cast to appear in the film version
of “Peyton Place.”

Ruth McDevItt has succeeded
Nydia Westmah in “Greatest Man
Alive,” currently breaking in out-
of-town v

Peter Falk has. succeeded Tori*;
Clancy, in “Purple .Dust” At' the’
. Qfterry Lahe 1 Theatre, N,.Y. '

Russell Nype launches an eighth-
week- suihmer stock tour June 15.
He’ll appear in “Janus,” “Will Suc¬
cess Spoil Rock Hunter” and a mu :
sical version of “The Importance
of Being Earnest” for various
bookings in New England.

Joe Gross has succeeded the late
Paul M. Trebitsch as company
manager of “Desk Set,” currently
at the Harris in-Chicago.

Charles Adams, co-producer of
the touring “Apple Cart” with Jo¬
seph Neebe, was in Chicago last
Monday (29) and yesterday (Tues.)
to drum up student trade for the
George - Bernard Shaw revival,
which berths at the Blackstone
Theatre there next Mrinday night
(6) for two weeks.

Muriel Kirkland planed to Eu¬
rope last week for three weeks of
seeing the plays while hubby
Staats Cotsworth appears in.,